Shipment Logger Pairing for Post-Delivery Asset Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing logger devices for monitoring environmental parameters during transport are costly, time-consuming, and inefficient, with shipment-material often being lost after delivery due to separation from assets, leading to waste and theft.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for real-time position tracking of shipment-material using a logger device with a unique ID, allowing pairing with the shipment-material before transport, maintaining the pairing after delivery, and enabling reuse, thus ensuring continuous monitoring and reducing loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If logger devices are separated from shipment-material after delivery, then the shipment order can be terminated and the logger device can be returned to service center, but the shipment-material is lost and cannot be tracked after the shipment is completed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetracking reliabilityVSAvoidshipment-material location information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary pairing between the logger device and shipment-material ID before the shipment starts. This preliminary action creates a persistent link that allows tracking the shipment-material after delivery, resolving the contradiction by establishing tracking capability in advance rather than relying on post-delivery communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If logger devices are re-charged and prepared at service center after each shipment, then the logger devices can be reused, but the process is costly and time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelogger device reuse efficiencyVSAvoidtime for re-charging and preparation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary pairing between logger device and shipment-material ID before shipment, eliminating the need for post-delivery service center processing. This allows logger devices to be reused immediately after delivery without time-consuming re-charging and preparation cycles, significantly improving productivity while reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If more shipment-material is ordered than needed, then there is sufficient material for multiple shipments, but the excess shipment-material is abandoned in warehouses and stolen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshipment-material availabilityVSAvoidshipment-material loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous feedback on shipment-material location and status through real-time tracking. This feedback mechanism enables the supply chain company to monitor and recover shipment-material, reducing abandonment and theft while maintaining sufficient availability for multiple shipments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Ease of operation

If the only way to locate shipment-material is to call warehouse or shipment facility, then the process can be simple, but it is greatly time consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocating process simplicityVSAvoidtime for locating shipment-material
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual phone communication with automated electronic tracking using logger devices and communication modules. This substitution maintains operational simplicity while dramatically reducing the time required to locate shipment-material, as the system automatically provides real-time location data without human intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4700673A1A method and a system for tracking the real-time position of an asset during transport from an origin location to a destination location
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 CONTROLANT HF
  • EP4700673A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4700673A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4700673A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method and a system for tracking in real-time the position of a shipment during transport from an origin location to a destination location where the shipment comprises a shipment-material uniquely identified via a unique shipment-material ID, where the shipment-material is configured to carry an asset during the transport. A logger device is provided configured to be attached to the shipment-material. The logger device is uniquely identified via a unique logger device ID and is paired to the shipment material. When a shipment order is created for an asset such as a pharmaceutical product, a unique shipment order ID is generated, and a subsequent pairing to the shipment-material and the logger device pairing. After completion of the transport of the asset at the destination location the second pairing to the asset is terminated, while the shipment-order pairing between the shipment-material and the logger device is maintained.