Truck trailer including sliding side walls

Abstract

A system and method of tracking goods within a container having side panels. The method may determine a geographical location of the container and identify a good to be delivered at the geographical location. The system and method may determine a storage location of the good within the container, the storage location including at least a bay of the vehicle housing a good. The system and method may identify at least one side panel proximate the storage location and positioned to provide access to the good upon opening the side panel and transmit an output to an operator identifying one or more side panel to be opened to provide access to the good.

Description

TRUCK TRAILER INCLUDING SLIDING SIDE WALLSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 610,961, filed on December 15, 2023, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD

[0002] Embodiments, examples, and aspects described herein relate to, among other things, a system and method for container cargo management.SUMMARY

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an inventory management system for a container configured to be hauled by a vehicle, the container including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side of the container and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side to provide access to the plurality of bays. The system includes an electronic controller configured to determine a geographical location of the container, identify a good to be delivered at the geographical location; determine a storage location of the good within the container, the storage location including at least a bay of the container housing a good, identify at least one side panel proximate the storage location and positioned to provide access to the good upon opening the side panel, and transmit an output to an operator identifying one or more side panel to be opened to provide access to the good.

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller determines the storage location by identifying at least one bay of the container housing the good. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller determines the storage location by utilizing a coordinate system including a row, column, and level indicating the location of the good. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein, when the good is housed across more than one bay, determining the storage location includes determining a plurality of bays housing the good, and wherein transmitting an alert to an operator includes transmitting the outputindicating a plurality of side panels to be opened to provide access to the plurality of bays housing the good.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller wirelessly provides the output to a smart device. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the output identifying the one or more panel includes a label identifying the one or more panel. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the label includes at least one selected from the group consisting of numbers, letters, and symbols. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the output identifying the one or more panel includes activation of an access indicator to identify the one or more panel.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the access indicator includes at least one selected from the group consisting of arrows, numbers, letters, and symbol. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein determining a geographical location of the container includes receiving an input from an operator indicating the geographical location of the container. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein determining a geographical location of the container includes automatically tracking the geographical location of the container via GPS. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller identifies a good to be delivered based upon at least one of a plurality of descriptors.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determine a storage location of the good within the container based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmit an output to the operator indicating the storage location.

[0008] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an inventory management system for a vehicle configured to haul a trailer, the trailer including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side wall of the trailer and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side wall to provide access to the plurality of bays. The system includes an electronic controller configured to determine aninventory of goods within the trailer, identify, based on the inventory of goods, one or more available storage space, receive a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for at least one additional goods, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the goods; determine, based on the descriptors, whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space; determine, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle, and transmit an output indicating an acceptance or a denial of the storage request.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to adjust the travel route of the vehicle to pick up the additional goods. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to transmit an alert to a driver of the vehicle, the alert including a notification of an adjusted travel route. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is configured to identify the one or more available storage spaces based on both the inventory of goods and arrangement of the plurality of bays relative to one another.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to request approval from a driver of the vehicle prior to transmitting the output indicating acceptance or detail of the storage request. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the descriptors include a physical descriptor of the additional goods. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the descriptors include a delivery location of the additional goods. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the descriptors include a delivery date of the additional goods.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, further including a camera in communication with the electronic controller and configured to view an inside of the trailer; and wherein the electronic controller determines the inventory of goods based on information received from the camera.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the trailer is a first trailer and wherein the electronic controller is further configured to identify one or moreavailable storage space within a second trailer hauled by a second vehicle, determine whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space of the second trailer, determine whether the delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the second vehicle, and select an optimal trailer between the first trailer and the second trailer to pick up the additional goods.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify at least one side panels proximate the available storage space and positioned to provide access to the inventory of goods upon opening the side panel. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: transmit an alert to an operator indicating the side panels to be opened to provide access to the available storage location.

[0014] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to identify an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good, determine a storage location of the good within the vehicle based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address, and transmit an output to an operator indicating the storage location.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of managing an inventory for a vehicle configured to haul a trailer, the trailer including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side wall of the trailer and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side wall to provide access to the plurality of bays. The method includes determining, via an electronic processor, an inventory of goods for each of the plurality of bays, identifying, via the electronic processor, based on the inventory of goods of the bays, one or more available storage space; receiving, via the electronic processor, a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for at least one additional goods, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the additional goods; determining, via the electronic processor, based on the descriptors, whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space, determining, via the electronic processor, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle, transmitting, via the electronic processor, an output indicating an acceptanceor a denial of the storage request, and controlling, via the electronic processor, an aspect of the vehicle in response to the determination that the additional goods will fit within an available storage space and that delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the aspect of the vehicle is an adjusted the travel route of the vehicle to pick up the additional goods. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, the method further including transmitting, via the electronic controller, an alert to a driver of the vehicle, the alert including a notification of an adjusted travel route. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method the method further including: identifying, via the electronic controller, an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determining, via the electronic controller, a storage location of the good within the vehicle based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmitting, via the electronic controller, an output to an operator indicating the storage location.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 are illustrations of an example of a truck trailer including side panels, according to some aspects.

[0018] FIG. 2 is an alternative view of the truck trailer of FIG. 1, according to some aspects.

[0019] FIG. 3 is an illustration of the side panels of the truck trailer of FIG. 1, according to some aspects.

[0020] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a truck trailer and a truck including a controller, according to some aspects.

[0021] FIG. 5 is an alternative view of the truck trailer of FIG. 1, according to some aspects.

[0022] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an internal view of the truck trailer FIG. 1, according to some aspects.

[0023] FIG. 7 is an illustration of payload layout of the truck trailer of FIG. 1, according to some aspects.

[0024] FIG. 8 is an illustration of truck trailer side panels including labels, according to some aspects.

[0025] FIG. 9A-9C are illustrations of a user interface illustrating the truck of FIG. 1, according to some aspects.

[0026] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a loading / unloading station, according to some aspects.

[0027] FIG. 11 A is an illustration of a plurality of payload distribution methods, according to some aspects.

[0028] FIG. 1 IB is an illustration of an advantageous payload distribution method, according to some aspects.

[0029] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a process for delivering goods using a trailer including side panels, according to some aspects.

[0030] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process for delivering goods using a trailer including side panels, according to some aspects.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Before any aspects, features, or instances are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the aspects, features, or instances are not limited in their application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. Other instances are possible and are capable of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

[0032] Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The terms “mounted,” “connected” and “coupled” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting, and coupling. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical ormechanical connections or couplings, and can include electrical connections or couplings, whether direct or indirect. Also, electronic communications and notifications may be performed using any known means including wired connections, wireless connections, etc.

[0033] Unless the context of their usage unambiguously indicates otherwise, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” should not be interpreted as meaning “one” or “only one.” Rather these articles should be interpreted as meaning “at least one” or “one or more.” Likewise, when the terms “the” or “said” are used to refer to a noun previously introduced by the indefinite article “a” or “an,” “the” and “said” mean “at least one” or “one or more” unless the usage unambiguously indicates otherwise.

[0034] It should also be understood that a plurality of hardware and software based devices, as well as a plurality of different structural components may be utilized in various implementations. Aspects, features, and instances may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, may be illustrated and described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in hardware. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed description, would recognize that, in at least one instance, the electronic based aspects of the invention may be implemented in software (for example, stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one or more processors. In addition, although certain drawings illustrate hardware and software located within particular devices, these depictions are for illustrative purposes only. In some embodiments, the illustrated components may be combined or divided into separate software, firmware and / or hardware. For example, instead of being located within and performed by a single electronic processor, logic and processing may be distributed among multiple electronic processors. Regardless of how they are combined or divided, hardware and software components may be located on the same computing device or may be distributed among different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communication links.

[0035] Thus, in the claims, if an apparatus or system is claimed, for example, as including an electronic processor or other element configured in a certain manner, for example, to make multiple determinations, the claim or claim element should be interpreted as meaning one ormore electronic processors (or other element) where any one of the one or more electronic processors (or other element) is configured as claimed, for example, to make some or all of the multiple determinations. To reiterate, those electronic processors and processing may be distributed.

[0036] For ease of description, some or all of the example systems presented herein are illustrated with a single exemplar of each of its component parts. Some examples may not describe or illustrate all components of the systems. Other instances may include more or fewer of each of the illustrated components, may combine some components, or may include additional or alternative components.

[0037] The present disclosure is described with respect to truck trailers (or trailers), however, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be applied to other types of shipping containers and / or transportation vehicles. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to shipping and freight containers for trucks, trains, planes, and ships. Therefore, although the present disclosure is described with respect to truck trailers, it should be not be limited to only that implementation.

[0038] Truck trailers are generally intended for use in the transportation industry, enabling the movement of various types of cargo (e.g., goods) in an economical manner. The trailer includes a rectangular or box-like structure constructed from materials such as, but not limited to, steel, aluminum, plastics, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the trailer is equipped with multiple axles and wheels for load distribution and stability during transit. A hitching mechanism facilitates the connection of the trailer to a tractor truck, allowing for articulation and independent turning. In some examples, the trailer's size may range up to 53 feet in length. The rectangular or box-like structure provides the necessary strength and durability while minimizing weight and goods distribution throughout the trailer. The trailer’s internal configuration may be modified to match a particular type of load carried by the trailer. For instance, the trailer may include various cargo requirements, including dry van trailers (for general freight) or refrigerated trailers (for temperature-controlled cargo), among other types of trailers. In some examples, the truck trailer features load securing mechanisms, such as straps, chains, or load bars, to immobilize the cargo during transit, preventing shifting or damage to the cargo.

[0039] A traditional truck trailer includes a rear access door for loading and unloading cargo. At the beginning of a trailer’s route, the trailer is fully loaded in order of routes, and throughout the delivery route the trailer is unloaded in a “first on, last off’ fashion. In other words, the goods or payload are unloaded in the reverse order that they were loaded, with the last load being unloaded first and the first load being unloaded last. This means a good that is loaded towards the beginning of the loading process remains inaccessible until the end of the delivery route when most of the goods are already unloaded. This “first on, last off’ loading / unloading technique prevents a trailer from efficiently utilizing trailer space. For example, even when a trailer has been partially unloaded during a travel route and includes a significant amount of available cargo space, the trailer may not be used to pick up / load more cargo because it would trap the earlier loaded cargo in an inaccessible location within the trailer (i.e., blocked by the later loaded cargo). In a worst-case scenario, a trailer may need to travel along a route or part of a route without any cargo at all (also known as “dead-heading”).

[0040] Accordingly, a more efficient trailer design would allow optimized loading and unloading of trailer cargo, improvements in logistics, and increased integration of automated features. For instance, a trailer with advantageously designed access walls (described herein as side panels) may include the ability to load and unload goods in any order, as opposed to the “first on, last off’ fashion. Side panels may allow for loading and delivery to be done in a nonsequential order. This may increase the speed in which the trailer is loaded. Removing the need to load goods in a particular order may allow for a better arrangement of goods within the trailer to maximize space. Additionally, the side panels also allow for delivery of cargo and pick up of cargo to be mixed within the same route. Since goods will not be trapped inside the trailer if additional goods are loaded, the routes can be formulated to maximize the space within the trailer or space. This side access also provides partial or complete cargo loads to be transferred from vehicle to vehicle or vehicle to building in a more efficient manner than a rear loaded trailer. Furthermore, the wider and variable side panel openings may accommodate loading without the use of a dock. This may provide time-saving without the need to back a trailer into a dock, and may reduce the danger from reversing the trailer. The access walls allow unloading on the side of the trailer and do not need to enter the trailer.

[0041] Trailer With Side Panels

[0042] FIG. 1 -3 are illustrations of a container, such as a truck trailer 100, which is capable of providing some of the advantages mentioned above. It should be understood that FIGS. 1-3 provide only one exemplary embodiment of a trailer with side access panels. However, other variations of vehicle’s containers and structures with side panels may be used to accomplish the goods tracking and logistics systems described herein. In contrast to a traditional truck trailer which includes only a rear access door and rigid side walls, which are incapable of providing accessibility to the cargo, trailer 100 includes two sides 102, which are capable providing access to the cargo. In some embodiments, accessibility of the cargo from the side 102 may be in addition to accessibility from a rear access door, or may be the primary means of accessing the cargo. The side 102 are composed of a frame 108 and a plurality of side panels 105 supported by the frame 108. The side panels 105 may each be opened to provide access to the cargo at various locations along the length (i.e., in a front-rear direction) of the trailer 100. This allows the goods inside the trailer 100 to be loaded and unloaded in any order or location within the trailer 100, in contrast to the “first on, last off’ method used with traditional trailers. Various types of side panels 105 may be used to create the desired functionality of accessing the cargo from multiple access points 104 along the length of the trailer 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the side panels 105 are opened by sliding the side panels 105 along the frame 108. However, in other embodiments, the side panels 105 may be opened in an accordion style, swing style, or garage style. Only some embodiments of a side panel will be described herein, however, it should be understood that different types of side panels 105 may be used to provide multiple access points 104 along the length of the trailer 100. Additionally, it should be understood that the side panel system may be utilized on either side of the trailer 100 or may be utilized on both sides of the trailer 100.

[0043] As shown in FIG, 1-3, the side panels 105 are configured to be moved along the length (i.e., front to back) of the trailer 100 via support from the frame 108. When the side panels 105 are all closed, as shown in FIG. 1, they form a solid load bearing side 102 along the side of the trailer 100. However, the side panels 105 may each be independently opened to function as access points 104 along the side of the trailer 100. One or more side panel 105 may be opened at a time to provide multiple access points 104 or access points 104 of different sizes / widths. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, multiple side panels 105 are opened in different locations along the side of the trailer 100 to provide two different access points 104.Additionally, multiple consecutive side panels 105 may be opened in order to create a large access point 104, as shown in FIGs.2 -3, which may allow larger goods to be loaded and unloaded. The side panels 105 may be in a fixed (or “locked”) position to ensure that the side 102 of the trailer 100 is secured and no cargo is lost during transit.

[0044] Movement of the side panels 105 along the length of the trailer 100 is enabled by way of a track system 115 in the frame 108 that extends along the length of the trailer 100. The track system 115 supports the movement of the side panels 105 and provides load-bearing capacity for vertical and lateral loads when the side panels 105 are in the locked position. The track system 115 is omnidirectional, such that the side panels 105 may be moved to any position along the track system 115. As previously mentioned, the trailer 100 may include side panels 105 along one or both sides of the trailer 100, however, only one side of the trailer 100 will be described herein. The track system 115 runs parallel to the side of the trailer 100 in order to provide sliding movement of the side panel 105 without the use of hinges or vertical door framing.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 2-3, in some embodiments, the rear 140 of the trailer 100 includes a storage rack 150 configured to hold the plurality of side panels 105 such that when all of the side panels 105 are positioned at the rear 140 of the trailer 100, the full length of the trailer 100 from the rear 140 to the front 145 is exposed. In some embodiments, the track system 115 is configured to wrap around the rear 140 of the trailer to facilitate storage of the side panels 105 on the storage rack 150. For instance, in some examples, both a left side 155 of the trailer 100 and a right side 160 of the trailer 100 include the plurality of side panels 105 and the track system 115, such that both the left side 155 and right side 160 may be opened at the same time. In some examples, only one side (left side 155 or right side 160) of the trailer includes side panels 105. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the trailer 100 does not include a storage rack 150.

[0046] Labels 235 (or designations) may be used on the frame 108 and / or the side panels 105 to help identify which side panels 105 should be opened to provide access to a desired good. For example, the frame 108 may include labels 235 above or below the side panels 105 indicating the bay number located behind the corresponding side panel 105. Accordingly, if a desired good is located in bay number 5, an operated may open the side panel(s) 105 located adjacent the label235 “Bay 5”. The labels 235 may be located on the frame 108 or on the side panels 105 themselves. However, in the case where the labels 235 are provided on the side panels 105, tracking of the side panels 105 may be necessary when the side panels 105 are a sliding style of panel, which are movable to different locations along the length of the side 102. The labels 235 may be any type identifier that helps direct a user to the correct location in the trailer 100 and identify which side panels 105 should be opened. As such, the labels 235 may be letters, numbers, symbols, bay number, or any other terminology to label each area of the trailer 100 for loading and unloading.

[0047] Depending on the style of the side panels 105, different features may be included. For example, each of the side panels 105 may optionally be a prefabricated section with a recessed internal locking mechanism including an expandable gasket to prevent water, wind, and weather from penetrating the side panels 105. In some embodiments, the side panels 105 may also include a locking system along an outside edge of the side panel 105. In some instances, the side panels 105 may be constructed out of steel, aluminum, composite, plywood, honeycombed resins, polystyrene, polyurethane sheet goods, or a combination of materials. One or more of the side panels 105 may also include advertisements, display screens, solar panels, or other surface mounted objects.

[0048] Logistics and Tracking System

[0049] As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the side panels 105 are capable of moving into a wide variety of different arrangements to provide a multitude of access points or create access points of different sizes. These capabilities may be leveraged to provide greater options for how a truck is loaded and unloaded, as compared to a traditional trailer. It also allows for trucking routes to combine pick up and drop off and may improve efficiencies of the trucking and delivery industry. In order to fully realize these capabilities, a tracking system and / or a logistics system (or a hardware / software that performs the logistics system) may be used to track the location of the goods within the trailer 100, identify vacant spaces within the trailer 100 that are available to receive / pick up additional goods, and determine which side panels 105 should be opened to provide access points 104 to a particular good or vacant space. The logistics system may also help create routes, re-route or transfer of payload the truck hauling the trailer 100, or beconfigured to alter a route in the event additional pick up or drop off locations are added and saving wait time. The logistics system is described in greater detail below.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 4, the logistics system 390 may be implemented via a variety of different components, including an application on a smart device, a cloud or internet-based system, a remote dispatcher system, an on-board control system, or a combination thereof. As shown in FIG. 4, the trailer 100 is configured to be hitched to a truck 205, which includes a cabin 210 where a driver 213 may sit while operating the truck 205. In some instances, either the cabin 210 or the trailer 100 (or both) includes a controller 215, which is part of the logistics system 390. In other embodiments, one or more portion of the controller 215 is not located on the vehicle itself, but rather, may be stored on the cloud, a mobile device, a computer, or other source. The controller 215 may include an electronic processor 220, a memory 225, and an input / output interface 230. In some embodiments, the electronic processor 220 is implemented as a microprocessor with separate memory as shown, for example, the memory 225. In other examples, the electronic processor 220 may be implemented as a microcontroller (with memory 225 on the same chip). In other examples, the electronic processor 220 may be implemented using multiple processors. In addition, the electronic processor 220 may be implemented partially or entirely as, for example, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an applications specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the like, and the memory 225 may not be needed or be modified accordingly.

[0051] In some examples, the memory 225 includes non-transitory, computer-readable media that stores instructions that are received and executed by the electronic processor 220 to carry out method described herein. The memory 225 may include, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include combinations of different types of memory, for example read-only memory and random-access memory. The input / output interface 230 may include one or more input mechanisms and one or more output mechanisms, for example, general-purpose inputs / outputs (GPIOs), analog inputs, digital inputs, and the like. In one specific example, the input / output interface 230 is connected to a display in order to present a user interface 300 to the driver 213, described in greater detail below and in FIGS. 9A-9C. In addition to the elements illustrated, the controller 215 mayinclude wired or wireless communication interfaces for communicating with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems, cellular services, radio services, or the like.

[0052] In some examples, the illustrated components may be combined or divided into separate software, firmware and / or hardware. For example, instead of being located within and performed by a single electronic processor, logic and processing may be distributed among multiple electronic processors and memories. Regardless of how they are combined or divided, hardware and software components may be located on the same computing device or may be distributed among different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communication links.

[0053] Internal Tracking

[0054] As previously discussed, the side panels 105 allow the trailer 100 to be loaded and unloaded from the sides at any point along the length of the trailer 100 and in any order. Since the goods are not necessarily loaded into the trailer 100 in order from the front to the back of the trailer 100, the location of the goods inside the trailer 100 may be varied or “out of order” compared to a traditional trailer which implements the “first-on, last-off’ method. Accordingly, the logistic system may include an internal tracking system to identify the location of the goods within the trailer 100 and identify one or more side panel 105 capable of providing an access point 104 to a desired good. Similarly, the tracking system may be used to identify vacant spaces within the trailer 100, which can be leveraged to pick up additional cargo along a transit route.

[0055] The internal tracking system for the trailer 100 may use a coordinate system to track goods and vacant spaces in the trailer 100. For example, the tracking system may separate the internal spaces of the trailer 100 into sections, such as bays, levels, rows, and / or columns, which represent a grid used in inventory, loading, routing, and labeling management to provide live logistics location tracking. FIG. 4 is an illustration of the trailer 100 including the labels 235 on or near the panels 105 to assist users in locating goods or vacancies within the trailer 100. These labels 235 can be placed on the side panels 105 or on the frame 108 of the trailer 100. Additional details regarding the labeling, include numbers and / or letters to identify bays, levels, rows, and / or column, is described in greater detail below.

[0056] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a top-down perspective view of the trailer 100 showing one example of possible divisions of the trailer into bays 240. It should be understood that the size, number, and arrangement of the bays may vary are not required to follow the illustrated arrangement. In some examples, each of the plurality of side panels 105 corresponds with each of a plurality of a bays 240 to provide a plurality of access points 104 to the inside of the trailer 100. In some embodiments, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the side panels 105 and the bays 240. In other embodiments more than one side panel 105 may correspond to a bay 240 such that multiple side panels 105 may need to be opened to provide an access point 104 as wide as a bay 240. The labels 235 may help indicate which side panel 105 should be opened to provide an access point 104 for the desired good or vacant bay 240.

[0057] FIG6 is an internal view of a truck trailer illustrating an exemplary embodiment of how a coordinate tracking system 600 may be used to locate goods within the trailer 100. The trailer 100 may be sectioned into a coordinate system to enable tracking of goods within the trailer 100. The illustrated trailer 100 is sectioned according to bays 240, as shown in FIG. 5. The bays 240 may further (or alternatively) be defined by additional details, such as a row 605, a column 610, and a level 615. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the row 605 designates the location of a good relative to the left side 155 or right side 160 of the trailer 100 and the column 610 designates the location of a good relative to the front 145 and rear 140 of the trailer 100. The level 615 designates the location of a good relative to the bottom 620 and the top 625 of the trailer. For example, a first good may occupy bay 4, row A, level LI, column 1. A second good may occupy bay 4, row A, level L2, column 1. In this example, the second good is located on top of the first good. When a good includes the row, column, and level descriptor / coordinate, the precise location, size, and quantity of the good 505 within the trailer 100 may be known. These descriptors allow the driver 213 to easily and rapidly find and access the good via the side panels 105. When a good is delivered or unloaded from the trailer 100, the descriptor tracking the good is updated. For instance, when a good is delivered, the tracking system may indicate that the previously occupied bay (or row, column, level) is available for a new good, or confirmation of a delivery, a manifest and / or ownership if existing goods or new goods.

[0058] In addition to tracking the location of a good within the trailer 100, the tracking system may also track the amount of space occupied by the good in order to determine whetherthere are vacant spaces within the trailer 100 for additional goods. FIG. 7 is an illustration of layout 400 of the trailer 100 including goods of different sizes. For example, a first good 405 may fully fill one of the bays 240 of the trailer 100, and a second good 410 may fully fill a second one of the bays 240 of the trailer 100. However, in some examples, a third good 415 may not fully fill a third one of the bays 240. In this example, other goods, such as a fourth good 420 and a fifth good 425 may be organized within the remaining available bays 240. The loading and unloading of the goods 405, 410, 415, 420, 425 in any order is made possible by the side panels 105 as previously described. For instance, if a sixth good 430 is located at the rear 140 of the trailer 100, a traditional trailer would be unable to unload the other goods 405, 410, 415, 420, 425 because the sixth good 430 would be blocking access to the other goods 405, 410, 415, 420, 425. However, the illustrated trailer 100 includes side panels 105 which provide the ability to load and unload any good in any order. When a good is unloaded, the tracking system may determine that there is vacancy available for an additional good.

[0059] Labels, Indicators, and Descriptors

[0060] FIG. 8 is an illustration of an enhanced view of the side panels 105 of the trailer 100. As previously described, the labels 235 may be located on an outside surface of the trailer 100, such as near the frame 108. The labels 235 may also be located on a surface of the side panel 105. The labels 235 may take the form of text, numbering, images, or any other indicator used as a reference. As described, the logistics system 390 may be employed to monitor the location of goods within the trailer 100, the space occupied by the good, and vacancies for additional goods. In some instances, the trailer 100 may include a camera 603 for directly monitoring the inside of the trailer 100. For example, the camera 603 located within the trailer 100 may be configured for object identification. The camera 603 may capture a digital image or video stream of the inside trailer 100 (e.g., for example, a perspective view similar to one as illustrated in FIG. 6) containing the object, such as the goods or goods. The camera may also perform preprocessing steps to enhance image quality and reduce image noise, such color correction and contrast adjustments. The camera then performs object localization including object detection, segmentation, and feature extraction to pinpoint the goods location within the image. Once localized, the goods may be classified into predefined categories using deep learning models, such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), trained on extensive datasets. In someexamples, the camera transmits the image to a separate processor, such as controller 215, to perform the object identification, post processing, or localization. Additionally, when a goods includes a programable label, the camera may be configured to scan the programable label to obtain the descriptors associated with the goods.

[0061] The post-processing refines object identification results, which filters out false positives and improving accuracy. In some instances, the camera uses video to track the goods across multiple frames for continuous monitoring within the trailer 100. The logistics system 390 is configured to execute various software functions, based on the identified goods, which may involve sending alerts to the driver 213, controlling one or more robotic arms 735 (illustrated in FIG. 10), or providing the user interface 300 with information.

[0062] In some instances, an alternative to the camera may be used in order to monitor the location of goods within the trailer 100. For example, stereo vision utilizes two cameras positioned slightly apart to capture two images of the inside of the trailer 100. By analyzing the disparities between corresponding points in these images, the depth or 3D position of the goods can be calculated using triangulation. The logistics system 390may also be configured to use Time-of-Flight (ToF) cameras, laser scanning systems, RFID, scanner thresholds, ultrasound tracking, and magnetic tracking, or a combination of these described options, in order to monitor the location of goods within the trailer 100. Additionally, these methods may be used to identify available empty spaces within the trailer 100.

[0063] The trailer 100 may include markings, electronic reading codes, indicators, and / or labels 235 on the outside of the trailer 100, which relate to the internal organization of the trailer 100. The logistics system 390 may use these markings to help guide a user to the side panels 105 corresponding to the tracked location of a desired good so that the user may quickly and efficiently access the good via the side panel 105 adjacent the good. As will be described in greater detail, the logistics system 390 may also leverage a user interface 300, which provides information to a user to help guide the user to the side panel 105 corresponding to the location of a good within the trailer 100.

[0064] Referring back to FIG. 4, the trailer 100 may include labels 235 on or adjacent to the panels 105 to help direct a user to the location of a good or vacancy within the trailer 100. Thelabels 235 may be positioned on the side panels 105 or on the frame 108 of the trailer 100. The labels 235 may include numbers and / or letters to help identify bays, levels, rows, and / or columns corresponding to sections of the trailer. The labels 235 are located on the frame 108 of the trailer 100 (see FIGS. 1-3). In some embodiments, the labels 235 may be additionally or alternatively disposed on each side panel 105. The labels 235 may additionally or alternatively be present in the user interface of the logistics system 390, which correspond to the labels 235 on the trailer 100.

[0065] The labels 235 may be arranged in a strategy manner to help quickly direct the user to the correct area of the trailer 100, and specifically, the side panel 105 to be opened to provide access to the good or vacant area. The labels 235 may include numbers, letters, symbols, or other identification markings. In one exemplary embodiment, the trailer 100 may include even number label 235 (i.e., 2, 4, 6...) on a first side (e.g., a left side) of the trailer 100 and may include odd number labels 235 (i.e., 1, 3, 5...) on a second side (e.g., a right side) of the trailer 100. Likewise, the trailer 100 may include lower number labels 235 towards the front 145 of the trailer 100 and higher number labels 235 toward the rear 140 of the trailer 100.

[0066] When the labels 235 are positioned on a fixed portion of the trailer 100, such as the frame 108, the order of the labels 235 will remain fixed. However, when the labels 235 are positioned on moving components of the trailer 100, such as the side panels 105, the order of the labels 235 will change. As previously mentioned, the panels 105 may not necessarily always be positioned in the same order. Therefore, it should be noted that because the side panels 105 are rearrangeable and may not be returned to the same location when the side wall is closed, the same side panel 105 may not always be associated with the same bay 240. Therefore, in some embodiments, the logistics system 390 tracks the movement of the side panels 105 as they are rearranged to different orders. In that way, the logistics system 390 may be able to inform a user which side panel 105 to open (i.e., via the designation) to access a desired good or vacant storage space regardless of the side panels 105 being rearranged to different orders.

[0067] In some instances, the bays 240 may include access indicators 245 in addition or alternatively to the labels 235. As used herein, the term label 235 is used more generally to mean markings or designations on the outside of the trailer 100, which corresponds to the internalorganization of the trailer 100 to help direct a user to the correct side panel 105 to access the desired good or vacancy. The term access indicator 245 is a more interactive marking that informs a driver which side panel 105 to open. These access indicators 245 may be physically present on the side panels 105 themselves or may be a visual aid provided on a user interface. In some embodiments, the access indicator 245 is provided via the user interface 300.

[0068] An access indicator 245 may include lights, colors, and / or flashing arrows physically present on the trailer 100 or on a graphical user interface, which illuminate or turn a certain color to indicate information about the internal organization of the bays 240 within the trailer. For example, a light located above or near one of the side panels 105 may illuminate when a desired good is accessible by opening that particular side panel 105. Likewise, a light on a side panel 105 (or in a user interface) may turn a certain color when a bay 240 is vacant and available to receive a good to be loaded into the trailer 100. For example, if several bays 240 in a row are vacant, light access indicators 245 above the side panels may all illuminate a color blue to indicate that the bays 240 are vacant. This same blue coloring may be shown in a user interface to indicate the same. As another example, the trailer 100 may include a light access indicator 245 below each side panel 105 that selectively flashes to inform a user which side panel 105 should be opened. The access indicator 245 may be used to help identify the location of a desired good to be delivered or the location of a vacant bay within the trailer 100 in order to help facility loading and unloading. Both the labels 235 and the access indicators 245 may be physically present on the trailer 100 and may be virtual markings in a user interface correspond to the physical markings on the trailer 100. Furthermore, it should be understood that in some instances the labels 235 and access indicators 245 may be combined into a single item, such as a number capable of lighting up.

[0069] The each of the plurality of goods includes a descriptor associated with the good. The descriptor may be associated with the good by way of a programable label, such as a bar code (e.g., a shipping bar code), a quick response code (QR code), a near field communication (NFC) tag, or the like. For example, good descriptors may include a tracking number, a delivery location, quantity, a sales price, a delivery priority, a good weight, a good height, a good length, a good width. In some examples, the good descriptor may be a location within the trailer 100. For instance, a bay 240 location may be associated with the good. Additionally, or alternatively,the descriptors may include a row (e.g., X-coordinate), column (e.g., Z-coordinate), and a level (e.g., Y-coordinate), and other additional information, such as size and priority of loads.

[0070] User Interface

[0071] FIG. 9A-9C are illustrations of a user interface 300 for displaying the organization of goods within the trailer 100. The user interface 300 may include a load indicator 305, a key 310, and a graphical representation 315 of the trailer 100. In some instances, the user interface 300 may be displayed on a user device 302, such as a cell phone, tablet, laptop computer, or other computing device. In other instance, the user interface 300 is shown on a display 320 within the cabin 210 of the truck 205. The user interface 300 further includes elements detailing the status of the bays 240 and payloads of goods within the trailer 100. For instance, the key 310 includes indicators detailing the status and / or characteristics of a good, such as a good damage state 325, a good express priority 330, a good hazard status 335, or a status indicating good fragility 340. These are only a few examples of some of the indicators that may be included to categorize or note characteristics of a good.

[0072] The key 310 may also include information about the bays 240, such as an available status 355, a not available status 360, a loaded status 365, or characteristics of the bay (e.g., refrigerated). The graphical representation 315 also illustrates the overall fdl status of the trailer 100 by way of the load indicator 305. For example, when the trailer 100 is fully loaded, the load indicator 305 will display the trailer percentage as 100% full. In some instances, the graphical representation 315 also includes this information, and will display to the driver a fdl percentage of particular bays 240. For example, some of the bays 240 may be empty 345 and other of the bays 240 may be full 350 or partially full. The corresponding fdl percentage of each of the bays 240 is displayed on the graphical representation 315 by way of a bay load status bar 357 and / or a percentage full. The graphical representation 315 may include multiple perspective views of the trailer 100, as illustrated in FIG. 9B-9C. In some examples, this allows the driver 213 to view the bays 240 from both sides (e.g., FIG. 9B), which may aid the driver 213 in loading or unloading the trailer 100.

[0073] FIG. 9C is a top-down view of the user interface 300 showing the graphical representation 315 of the trailer and with indication of items stacked in bays. In some instances,the graphical representation 315 includes layered elements (i.e., similar to a stack of playing cards) indicating which goods are at the bottom or top of the bay 240. From this perspective, the driver 213 may view the bays 240 within the trailer 100. In some examples, when the driver 213 selects one of the bays 240 on the user interface 300, a load data window 370 will be presented. The load data window may include information about the selected bay or information about goods within the bay. For example, information about the good may include a load number (or tracking number), a pick-up or delivery address, a delivery deadline, a time stamp for check in, a good weight, a stackable status, a good insurance valuation, a good priority status, or the like. The driver 213 may also be presented options to add or remove goods from the bays 240, or to reserve a selection of the bays 240 for future goods.

[0074] In some examples, when a driver 213 selects a good to be added to the trailer 100, the user interface presents the driver 213 with a delivery address or geographical location or other information about the good selected on the user interface. Additionally, the user interface may present the driver 213 with information indicating locations within the trailer 100 that are vacant or available. For example, the top-down view of the trailer may include colors or other markings to identify full and vacant locations within the trailer, payload information indicating how full a compartment is, or characteristics of an area in the trailer (e.g., refrigerated section).

[0075] The driver 213 may then store the good in an appropriate one of the bays 240. Upon arrival at the delivery address, user interface 300 may notify the driver 213 which of the side panels 105 should be opened to gain access to the stored good. For example, an element of the graphical representation 315 may blink, highlight, or otherwise provide an alert that the good is located in a particular one (or ones) of the bays 240 and behind a particular one (or ones) of the side panels 105 or other payloads to be relocated for access. The notification on the user interface 300 indicating which side panel 105 to open may be in addition to or as an alternative to physical labels 235 and / or access indicators 245. In some instances, the descriptors may be configured to be displayed in the load data window 370. For example, the load data window 370 may display a good delivery priority or delivery location, or any other descriptor.

[0076] Routes and Loading

[0077] In some examples, the driver 213 or a dispatcher may select a string of delivery addresses (e.g., a delivery route) including at least one current or future geographical location of the trailer 100. For instance, a dispatcher may plan a delivery route and output the delivery route to the driver 213 via the user interface 300. Similarly, a driver 213 may plan a delivery route via the user interface 300 and, while travelling along the delivery route, be presented with additional alerts related to a plurality of goods to be delivered or picked up along the delivery route. In some examples, the location of the trailer 100 along a delivery route is determined automatically by the controller 215 using a GPS tracking system. For instance, as additional loads become available for pick-up along the route of the trailer 100, after leaving depot and before the trailer 100 is empty, the user interface may present the driver 213 with updated interior tracking showing which goods may be picked up and delivered along the route without significant changes to the route.

[0078] In some instances, multiple users may have access to the user device 302 or the graphical representation 315 of the trailer 100. For example, a dispatcher may have access to a separate graphical representation 315 of the trailer 100 and dispatcher may make requests to the driver 213 to pick up or drop off goods based upon descriptors associated with a good. The dispatcher may also determine which bay location within the trailer 100 best fits the good based upon the descriptors. Additionally, a dispatcher may identify whether a delivery location of the good is compatible with the existing route of the trailer 100. The dispatcher may make further determinations based upon additional descriptors, as detailed below. Once the dispatcher makes a request to the driver 213, the driver 213 may accept or deny the request via the user interface of the user device 302. In some instances, the dispatcher may be a person, while in other instances the dispatcher may be a computer leveraging software, Artificial Intelligence (Al), or other automated systems to function as a dispatcher. For example, the dispatcher may automatically track travel routes, plan, and schedule travel routes, reroute travel when additional goods may be picked up or delivered, and monitor the payload and available storage space in a trailer. In some instances, additional features and functionality are included either automatically or by manual entry by the driver 213 or the dispatcher. For example, goods transfers, invoicing, custodian of payload (i.e., chain of custody tracking), in / out manifest logging, time, date, location, or other such features are included.

[0079] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a drive through loading / unloading station 700, according to some aspects. The side panels 105 advantageously allow for goods, such as those organized in stock piles 705, to be loaded and unloaded via the sides of the trailer 100. For example, a first fork lift 710 may load goods from the one of the bays 240 of the trailer 100 while a second fork lift 715 unloads goods from another of the bays 240 of the trailer 100. In some instances, the drive through loading / unloading station 700 allows a warehouse to be much smaller because of the organization of the truck area. For example, instead of a warehouse requiring a large lot to turn a truck around with a dock area including multiple docking ramps, the drive through loading / unloading station 700 may be centrally located and compact.

[0080] FIG. 10 is an illustration of an alternative drive through loading / unloading station 700. In some examples, a truck hauling the trailer 100 may drive through a building 745 configured to include the loading / unloading station 700. The building 745 may have an entrance 741 and an exit 742, with the loading / unloading station 700 configured inside of the building 745 to allow the trailer 100 to be loaded as it travels through the building 745. In other words, similar to the example illustrated in FIG. 10, the side panels 105 allow goods to be loaded from both sides of the trailer 100. The loading / unloading station 700 includes loading areas for sorting or stocking the loading of the goods onto the trailer 100. For example, goods designated for odd numbered delivery addresses (or South / East addresses) may be stored in a first storage area 720, and goods designated for even numbered delivery addresses (or North / West addresses) may be stored in a second storage area 755.

[0081] In some instances, there may be a staging or stacking zone 725 for goods that are ready to be loaded onto the trailer 100. The goods may be transported to the stacking zone 725 by the second fork lift 715. In some instances, the goods may be transported to the stacking zone 725 by other means, such as automated warehouse robots. In some examples, robotic arms 735 are positioned along a track 730, and are configured to select the goods from the stacking zone 725 and place them into the trailer 100. The robotic arms 735 may be moved to select a particular good, or may be configured to automatically move along the track 730 to access the goods located in the stacking zone 725. The location the goods are placed within the trailer 100 may be selected via the user interface 300, or may be a predetermined location within the trailer 100 (such as one or more of the bays 240) as previously described. Once the trailer 100 has beenloaded with a predetermined number of goods, the truck hauling the trailer 100 may drive out of the exit 742 of the building 745.

[0082] In some instances, a logistics software organizes the goods together by routes and priority before the goods are loaded onto the trailer 100. The robotic arms 735 may be configured to scan the goods to obtain the delivery address, the bay 240, or location within the trailer 100 that the goods are to be loaded. Additionally, the robotic arms 735 are configured with which side of the street the good is to be delivered on the curbside of the trailer based upon the prevailing standard of the delivery location (e g., country, state, or district).

[0083] FIG. 11 A is an illustration of a plurality of payload distribution methods contrasting two distribution methods. As an example of contemporary distribution, illustration 800 shows a manufacturer, warehouse, or origin point 805 including a good to be delivered. The goods are picked up by a first truck 810 and loaded in a traditional “first on, last off’ and one access point fashion. The first truck 810 then delivers the good to a regional hub 815. From the regional hub 815, a second truck with one access point picks up the good from the regional hub 815 and delivers the good to a local distributor 825. The good is then picked up from the local distributor 825 by a third truck 830 and delivered to a final destination 835. The distribution network as shown in illustration 800 is how many modern logistics services, such as United Parcel Service (e g., UPS) or Federal Express (e g., FedEx) operate, with a network of origin points 805, regional hubs 815, local distributors 825 and multiple trucks 810, 820, 830 configured to deliver a good to a final destination 835.

[0084] In contrast to the illustration 800 is an illustration 850 of an advantageous distribution. The distribution network begins at the same origin point 805. However, in illustration 850, the good is picked up by a first truck 855 using the trailer 100 that includes the side panels 105. The trailer 100 is then able to directly transfer with a second truck 860 which may also be using side panels 105. Likewise, the second truck 860 then directly transfers s with the third truck 865, which completes the delivery of the good to the final destination 835. By including the side panels 105 in various trucks and trailers, as previously described, the need for a large network of warehouses is reduced. In other words, each of the trucks becomes a mobilewarehouse, able load and unload smaller trucks. The goods are accessible from either side of the trailer 100 at any time, and the transfer of goods on / off the trailer 100 can occur simultaneously.

[0085] FIG. 1 IB is an illustration 850 of the previously described advantageous distribution, according to some aspects. As illustrated, the first truck 855 is transferred to the second truck 860 by way of a loading ramp 870. In some examples, with all or some of the side panels 105 in an open position, multiple trucks are able to transfer at the same time, further increasing load / unload speeds. In some examples, the logistics system 390 also tracks the transfer of the goods between the trucks (e.g., first truck 855 and second truck 860).

[0086] Before particular processes for leveraging the various aspects of the trailer 100, such as the side panels 105, access points 104, or any other aspect described herein, an overview of the logistics system 390 is provided. As previously described, the logistics system 390 enables the utilization of the trailer 100 design to offer a wider array of options for loading and unloading the trailer 100. The logistics system 390 also enables the coordination and consolidation of pickup and drop-off points in along a trucking route without a dock, advantageously enhancing the efficiency of the trucking and delivery industry. To fully harness these capabilities, the logistics system 390 may be employed to monitor the location of goods within the trailer 100, identify available empty spaces within the trailer 100 for receiving / picking up additional goods, and determine which side panels 105 should be opened to access a particular item or vacant space. Additionally, the logistics system 390 can aid in the creation or adjustment of routes for the truck transporting the trailer 100, including route modifications or automated pick-up or delivery elements. The logistics system 390 combines the elements detailed herein related to the trailer 100 including the side panels 105 and the user interface 300. In some instances, the logistics system 390 may also include aspects of the loading / unloading station, or any other element described herein.

[0087] Furthermore, the logistics system 390 may aid in the creation or adjustment of routes for the goods being transported by the trailer 100, including route modifications or automated pick-up or delivery elements. For example, the logistics system 390 may interface with a GPS service (e.g., Google Maps) that includes comprehensive map data encompassing road networks, street details, weight limits, truck class limits, address information, and various attributes. Insome instances, the map data includes road data with specific costs, such as the time needed to traverse a road (or a series of roads, or a route), which may include factors such as speed limits and real-time traffic conditions. A route may include one or more delivery locations for goods being transported by the trailer 100.

[0088] Additionally, the logistics system 390 may use routing algorithms to find the best route between a given starting point and destination. These algorithms, (e.g., such as Dijkstra's algorithm or A* search), analyze the map data, the goods within the trailer 100, and assign cost functions to identify the optimal path. The routing algorithm may be executed multiple times with slight variations, such as different starting times, weightings of cost functions, waiting times, priorities, or the like. Furthermore, when a new delivery request is received by the logistics system, the routing algorithm may be executed to include the delivery pick-up and dropoff points. The logistics system may determine, based upon the goods within the trailer 100 (or, additionally, available bays 240 within the trailer) that the trailer 100 is able to transport the goods associated with the new delivery request. This information may be included in the algorithm calculation for determining cost functions.

[0089] The logistics system 390 also has the ability to customize routing preferences, such as avoiding narrow roads, favoring a particular route (e.g., such as a route optimized for trucking), weight limits, or minimizing travel time, which are considered by the routing algorithm. These preferences may be selected at the user interface 300 by the driver 213, or alternatively may be configured by the dispatcher as previously described. Routing may be performed either offline (e.g., by a controller located on the vehicle), using pre-downloaded map data and a simplified routing engine on the device, or online, utilizing a connection to a server for real-time data, map updates, routing calculations, and the like. The logistics system 390 may apply optimization techniques such as dynamic programming, which analyzes combinations of road segments to identify the most efficient overall route. Once finalized, the route is presented to the driver 213 along with estimated travel times, distances, step-by-step directions, and pick-up / drop-off delivery information. In some instances, the dispatcher may select the route for the driver 213 instead of allowing the driver 213 to select the route.

[0090] It should be understood that many of the systems described above may be performed by an autonomous vehicle, such as a self-driving truck configured to haul the trailer 100. For example, some self-driving trucks may be equipped with routing algorithms designed to plan optimal delivery routes from the departure point to multiple delivery destinations. These algorithms consider real-time data described above, along with the urgency of specific deliveries. The autonomous vehicle may include the ability to calculate and compare multiple potential delivery routes, assessing each one based on criteria such as route efficiency, adherence to delivery schedules, delivery priorities, or the like.

[0091] An autonomous vehicle hauling the trailer 100 may adjust the routes in real time to account for changing conditions, such as traffic congestion, road closures, or the addition of new delivery stops. Furthermore, the preferences selected by the logistics system 390 may contribute to the delivery process. Customers may have specific delivery time windows, indicate preferred delivery locations, or have other such requests. The logistics system 390 may integrate these preferences into their route planning for the autonomous vehicle. Optimization techniques, including dynamic programming and machine learning of the logistics system 390 as previously described, enhance the overall efficiency of the delivery process. Autonomous vehicles may utilize these techniques to continuously adjust their routes and adapt to emerging circumstances, such as new delivery orders or changes in traffic patterns. These changing circumstances may also be presented to the dispatcher to allow a human input element to the dynamic delivery route.

[0092] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a process 900 for delivering goods using a trailer including side panels, according to some aspects. For example, the process 900 may be executed by the truck 205 hauling the trailer 100, by the driver 213 using the user interface 300, and / or by a dispatcher utilizing the logistics system 390. The process 900 includes determining a geographic location (905) of the trailer 100, such as the current location of the trailer 100, and may be determined by the controller 215. In other examples, the geographic location is determined elsewhere (e.g., by a cellular device) and the geographic location is provided to the controller 215 via a wireless communication. In some examples, the geographic location may be a delivery location along a delivery route, a future geographic location of the trailer 100, or a future delivery address of a good. The process 900 includes identifying a good to be delivered to the geographic location (910). In some examples, the good was previously loaded onto the trailer100 and is housed within the trailer 100. In some examples, the good includes a descriptor indicating a delivery address, as previously described. The process 900 includes determining a location within the vehicle to house the good (915). For example, the good may be housed in at least one of the bays 240 of the trailer 100. If the good is large, the good may occupy more than one of the bays 240. The process 900 includes determining at least one of the side panels 105 to be opened to access the good (920). For example, if the good is located in one of the bays 240, the side panel proximate to the bay must be opened to provide access to the good. The process 900 includes providing a notification to an external device which of the side panels 105 must be opened to provide access to the good (925). In some instances, the external device is a smart phone. For example, the controller 215 may provide a notification to a smart phone indicating which of the side panels 105 to open in order to access the good.

[0093] In some examples, the process 900 includes an option to control an aspect of the vehicle or trailer 100 (930). For example, once determinations 905-920 are completed, the controller 215 may automatically open one of the side panels 105 in order to provide access to the bay location. The controller 215 may be configured to control other aspects of the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, the controller 215 may be configured to autonomously navigate to the geographical location. In this example, the notification provided to the external device may be an approval to access the bay location, an approval to pick up the good, or an approval to drop off a good, the approval sent prior to any indication of acceptance or denial of controlling aspects of the vehicle.

[0094] In some instances, the process 900 may also be used to load goods onto the trailer 100. For example, once a good may be identified as having a payload at a geographic location (e.g., 905 and 910 of process 900), the driver may identify an available or vacant bay location within the trailer 100 to house the good (915) during transit. The process 900 then determines which of the side panels 105 to open in order to house the good (920). Once the good is housed within the bay, a notification is sent to the external device indicating the location of the good within the trailer 100 and the transfer of responsibility of the payload.

[0095] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process 1000 for transporting goods using a trailer including side panels, according to some aspects. For example, the process 1000 may beexecuted by the truck 205 hauling the trailer 100, by the driver 213 using the user interface 300, and / or by a dispatcher utilizing the logistics system 390. The process 1000 includes determining a payload for each of the bays 240 of the trailer 100 (1005). The process 1000 includes identifying, based upon the payload, one or more available storage bays (1010). For example, as previously described, the user interface 300 may indicate which of the bays 240 is available. The process 1000 includes receiving a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for a good, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the good (1015). For example, the dispatcher may select an available storage bay within the trailer 100 and send the request to use the available storage bay to the driver 213. The process 1000 includes determining, based on the descriptors, an appropriate available storage space (1020). For example, once the dispatcher has made a request, the controller 215 may confirm that the good is compatible with the requested storage bay by comparing the descriptors of the good with information within the graphical representation 315 of the trailer 100. For instance, if the good contains descriptors indicating that the size of the good exceeds the available storage space for the selected bay, the controller 215 may prevent the storage request.

[0096] The process 1000 also includes determining, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the good is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle (1025). For example, if the selected good has a delivery location that is outside the current travel route of the vehicle, the controller 215 may prevent the storage request. The process 1000 includes transmitting an output indicating an acceptance or a denial of the storage request (1030). For example, once the storage request has been made (1015), and the available space and delivery route compatibility determinations have been made (1020, 1025), the driver 213 may receive a prompt to accept or deny the storage request made by the dispatcher. If the driver 213 accepts the request, the user interface 300 may be updated with a new delivery pick up or drop off information, or the travel route may be altered. If the driver 213 denies the request, no alterations are made, and the dispatcher is notified of the denial.

[0097] Clause 1. An inventory management system for a container configured to be hauled by a vehicle, the container including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side of the container and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side to provide access to the plurality of bays, the systemcomprising: an electronic controller configured to: determine a geographical location of the container; identify a good to be delivered at the geographical location; determine a storage location of the good within the container, the storage location including at least a bay of the container housing a good; identify at least one side panel proximate the storage location and positioned to provide access to the good upon opening the side panel; and transmit an output to an operator identifying one or more side panel to be opened to provide access to the good.

[0098] Clause 2. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller determines the storage location by identifying at least one bay of the container housing the good.

[0099] Clause 3. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller determines the storage location by utilizing a coordinate system including a row, column, and level indicating the location of the good.

[0100] Clause 4. The system of any preceding clause, wherein, when the good is housed across more than one bay, determining the storage location includes determining a plurality of bays housing the good, and wherein transmitting an alert to an operator includes transmitting the output indicating a plurality of side panels to be opened to provide access to the plurality of bays housing the good.

[0101] Clause 5. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller wirelessly provides the output to a smart device.

[0102] Clause 6. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the output identifying the one or more panel includes a label identifying the one or more panel.

[0103] Clause 7. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the label includes at least one selected from the group consisting of numbers, letters, and symbols.

[0104] Clause 8. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the output identifying the one or more panel includes activation of an access indicator to identify the one or more panel.

[0105] Clause 9. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the access indicator includes at least one selected from the group consisting of arrows, numbers, letters, and symbol.

[0106] Clause 10. The system of any preceding clause, wherein determining a geographical location of the container includes receiving an input from an operator indicating the geographical location of the container.

[0107] Clause 11. The system of any preceding clause, wherein determining a geographical location of the container includes automatically tracking the geographical location of the container via GPS.

[0108] Clause 12. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller identifies a good to be delivered based upon at least one of a plurality of descriptors.

[0109] Clause 13. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determine a storage location of the good within the container based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmit an output to the operator indicating the storage location.

[0110] Clause 14. An inventory management system for a vehicle configured to haul a trailer, the trailer including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side wall of the trailer and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side wall to provide access to the plurality of bays, the system comprising: an electronic controller configured to: determine an inventory of goods within the trailer; identify, based on the inventory of goods, one or more available storage space; receive a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for at least one additional goods, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the goods; determine, based on the descriptors, whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space; determine, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle; and transmit an output indicating an acceptance or a denial of the storage request.

[0111] Clause 15. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to adjust the travel route of the vehicle to pick up the additional goods.

[0112] Clause 16. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to transmit an alert to a driver of the vehicle, the alert including a notification of an adjusted travel route.

[0113] Clause 17. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is configured to identify the one or more available storage spaces based on both the inventory of goods and arrangement of the plurality of bays relative to one another.

[0114] Clause 18. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to request approval from a driver of the vehicle prior to transmitting the output indicating acceptance or detail of the storage request.

[0115] Clause 19. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the descriptors include a physical descriptor of the additional goods.

[0116] Clause 20. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the descriptors include a delivery location of the additional goods.

[0117] Clause 21. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the descriptors include a delivery date of the additional goods.

[0118] Clause 22. The system of any preceding clause, further including a camera in communication with the electronic controller and configured to view an inside of the trailer; and wherein the electronic controller determines the inventory of goods based on information received from the camera.

[0119] Clause 23. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the trailer is a first trailer and wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify one or more available storage space within a second trailer hauled by a second vehicle; determine whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space of the second trailer; determine whether the delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the second vehicle; and select an optimal trailer between the first trailer and the second trailer to pick up the additional goods.

[0120] Clause 24. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify at least one side panels proximate the available storage space and positioned to provide access to the inventory of goods upon opening the side panel.

[0121] Clause 25. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: transmit an alert to an operator indicating the side panels to be opened to provide access to the available storage location.

[0122] Clause 26. The system of any preceding clause, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determine a storage location of the good within the vehicle based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmit an output to an operator indicating the storage location.

[0123] Clause 27. A method of managing an inventory for a vehicle configured to haul a trailer, the trailer including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side wall of the trailer and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side wall to provide access to the plurality of bays, the method comprising: determining, via an electronic processor, an inventory of goods for each of the plurality of bays; identifying, via the electronic processor, based on the inventory of goods of the bays, one or more available storage space; receiving, via the electronic processor, a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for at least one additional goods, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the additional goods; determining, via the electronic processor, based on the descriptors, whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space; determining, via the electronic processor, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle; transmitting, via the electronic processor, an output indicating an acceptance or a denial of the storage request; and controlling, via the electronic processor, an aspect of the vehicle in response to the determination that the additional goods will fit within an available storage space and that delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle.

[0124] Clause 28. The method of any preceding clause, wherein the aspect of the vehicle is an adjusted the travel route of the vehicle to pick up the additional goods.

[0125] Clause 29. The method of any preceding clause, the method further comprising transmitting, via the electronic controller, an alert to a driver of the vehicle, the alert including a notification of an adjusted travel route.

[0126] Clause 30. The method of any preceding clause the method further comprising: identifying, via the electronic controller, an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determining, via the electronic controller, a storage location of the good within the vehicle based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmitting, via the electronic controller, an output to an operator indicating the storage location.

[0127] Thus, aspects herein provide, among other things, systems and methods for a trailer including side access panels.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An inventory management system for a container configured to be hauled by a vehicle, the container including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side of the container and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side to provide access to the plurality of bays, the system comprising: an electronic controller configured to: determine a geographical location of the container; identify a good to be delivered at the geographical location; determine a storage location of the good within the container, the storage location including at least a bay of the container housing a good; identify at least one side panel proximate the storage location and positioned to provide access to the good upon opening the side panel; and transmit an output to an operator identifying one or more side panel to be opened to provide access to the good.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller determines the storage location by identifying at least one bay of the container housing the good.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller determines the storage location by utilizing a coordinate system including a row, column, and level indicating the location of the good.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the good is housed across more than one bay, determining the storage location includes determining a plurality of bays housing the good, and wherein transmitting an alert to an operator includes transmitting the output indicating a plurality of side panels to be opened to provide access to the plurality of bays housing the good.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller wirelessly provides the output to a smart device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output identifying the one or more panel includes a label identifying the one or more panel.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the label includes at least one selected from the group consisting of numbers, letters, and symbols.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the output identifying the one or more panel includes activation of an access indicator to identify the one or more panel.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the access indicator includes at least one selected from the group consisting of arrows, numbers, letters, and symbol.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein determining a geographical location of the container includes receiving an input from an operator indicating the geographical location of the container.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein determining a geographical location of the container includes automatically tracking the geographical location of the container via GPS.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller identifies a good to be delivered based upon at least one of a plurality of descriptors.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determine a storage location of the good within the container based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmit an output to the operator indicating the storage location.

14. An inventory management system for a vehicle configured to haul a trailer, the trailer including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panels arranged along a side wall of the trailer and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side wall to provide access to the plurality of bays, the system comprising: an electronic controller configured to:determine an inventory of goods within the trailer; identify, based on the inventory of goods, one or more available storage space; receive a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for at least one additional goods, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the goods; determine, based on the descriptors, whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space; determine, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle; and transmit an output indicating an acceptance or a denial of the storage request.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to adjust the travel route of the vehicle to pick up the additional goods.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to transmit an alert to a driver of the vehicle, the alert including a notification of an adjusted travel route.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is configured to identify the one or more available storage spaces based on both the inventory of goods and arrangement of the plurality of bays relative to one another.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to request approval from a driver of the vehicle prior to transmitting the output indicating acceptance or detail of the storage request.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the descriptors include a physical descriptor of the additional goods.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the descriptors include a delivery location of the additional goods.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the descriptors include a delivery date of the additional goods.

22. The system of claim 14, further including a camera in communication with the electronic controller and configured to view an inside of the trailer; and wherein the electronic controller determines the inventory of goods based on information received from the camera.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the trailer is a first trailer and wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify one or more available storage space within a second trailer hauled by a second vehicle; determine whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space of the second trailer; determine whether the delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the second vehicle; and select an optimal trailer between the first trailer and the second trailer to pick up the additional goods.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify at least one side panels proximate the available storage space and positioned to provide access to the inventory of goods upon opening the side panel.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: transmit an alert to an operator indicating the side panels to be opened to provide access to the available storage location.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to: identify an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good; determine a storage location of the good within the vehicle based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmit an output to an operator indicating the storage location.

27. A method of managing an inventory for a vehicle configured to haul a trailer, the trailer including a plurality of bays for transporting an inventory of goods, and a plurality of side panelsarranged along a side wall of the trailer and configured to move in a front-rear direction along the side wall to provide access to the plurality of bays, the method comprising: determining, via an electronic processor, an inventory of goods for each of the plurality of bays; identifying, via the electronic processor, based on the inventory of goods of the bays, one or more available storage space; receiving, via the electronic processor, a storage request from a dispatcher requesting a storage space for at least one additional goods, the storage request including one or more descriptors of the additional goods; determining, via the electronic processor, based on the descriptors, whether the additional goods will fit within an available storage space; determining, via the electronic processor, based on the descriptors, whether a delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle; transmitting, via the electronic processor, an output indicating an acceptance or a denial of the storage request; and controlling, via the electronic processor, an aspect of the vehicle in response to the determination that the additional goods will fit within an available storage space and that delivery location of the additional goods is compatible with a travel route of the vehicle.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the aspect of the vehicle is an adjusted the travel route of the vehicle to pick up the additional goods.

29. The method of claim 27, the method further comprising transmitting, via the electronic controller, an alert to a driver of the vehicle, the alert including a notification of an adjusted travel route.

30. The method of claim 27 the method further comprising: identifying, via the electronic controller, an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address for the good;determining, via the electronic controller, a storage location of the good within the vehicle based upon the good having an odd number delivery address or an even number delivery address; and transmitting, via the electronic controller, an output to an operator indicating the storage location.

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