Smart Container Movement Detection for Delivery Direction Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current GPS systems provide insufficient precision for locating delivery receptacles relative to a house, as they only offer coordinates without indicating the receptacle's position, leading to difficulties in navigation for delivery personnel.
Innovation Solution
A smart container equipped with a movement sensor, wireless transceiver, and control circuit that detects relocation, determines an estimated new location, and updates directions via a cloud server using satellite images and feedback from delivery personnel, providing relative position descriptions like 'right side of the house' or 'behind the fence'.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS coordinates are used to locate delivery receptacles, then the location can be identified numerically, but the precision is insufficient to indicate the receptacle's position relative to the house
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a mobile device with camera and image processing algorithms that acts as a mediator between the GPS coordinates and the delivery personnel. The system captures satellite imagery, processes it to identify the house and receptacle, and generates descriptive directions. This intermediary transforms precise but incomprehensible coordinate data into human-understandable relative position information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/GPS-based navigation system with an optical/image-based system. Instead of relying solely on coordinate mathematics, the system uses satellite imagery capture, optical image processing, and visual pattern recognition to determine and communicate the receptacle's location relative to the house, thereby substituting a more informative measurement approach.
2Ease of operation
If delivery personnel navigate using only GPS coordinates, then navigation is simplified, but successful delivery becomes difficult without relative position context
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by capturing the delivery personnel's location via mobile device GPS, comparing it with the target receptacle location, and providing real-time directional guidance. The system continuously monitors progress and adjusts directions until the delivery personnel arrives at the correct relative position, thereby ensuring reliable delivery while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device and communication system serve as an intermediary between the delivery personnel and the receptacle location. This intermediary provides continuous guidance, translating the complex spatial relationship into simple directional instructions that maintain navigation simplicity while ensuring delivery success.
3Measurement precision
If a smart container with movement sensor and wireless transceiver is deployed, then real-time location updates are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by integrating multiple functions into the smart container system: the movement sensor detects relocation, the wireless transceiver communicates location data, and the control circuit coordinates these functions. The same system components serve multiple purposes, reducing overall complexity while maintaining high location tracking accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart container system is self-service in that it automatically detects its own relocation through the movement sensor, determines its new location, and transmits this information via the wireless transceiver without requiring manual intervention. This automation reduces operational complexity while maintaining precise location tracking.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for updating directions to a container. In one embodiment an apparatus for updating directions to a container comprises a container housing, a movement sensor attached to the container housing, a wireless transceiver; and a control circuit coupled to the movement sensor and the wireless transceiver. The control circuit being configured to: detect a relocation of the container housing via the movement sensor, determine an estimated new location of the container, and send, via the wireless transceiver, the estimated new location to a computing device to initiate an update of a direction to the container.