Electronic Tracking Tags for Supply Chain Asset Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Instruments used for transporting goods, such as pallets and milk crates, are frequently stolen or damaged, making it difficult to track their location and identify theft within the supply chain.

Innovation Solution

Electronic tracking tags with a microprocessor and transceiver are attached to these instruments, transmitting identifying information to nodes in a wireless network, allowing the central computer server to map their location throughout the supply chain, and potentially identify theft occurrences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electronic tracking tags are attached to transport instruments, then the ability to track location and identify theft is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tracking system is segmented into independent components: electronic tracking tags attached to individual instruments, wireless network nodes distributed throughout the supply chain, and a central computer server. This segmentation allows the system to track multiple instruments independently while maintaining modular architecture that manages complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Wireless network nodes serve as intermediaries between the tracking tags and the central server. These nodes receive transmissions from tags and relay information to the server, reducing the complexity of direct communication between all tags and the central system while improving tracking reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If continuous tracking monitoring is implemented throughout the supply chain, then theft detection capability is improved, but the energy consumption and operational cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetheft detection capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic tracking tags transmit identifying information at predetermined time intervals rather than continuously. This periodic transmission approach maintains theft detection capability by regularly updating location information while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10685415B1Systems and methods for tracking instruments useful for transporting goods of a business

Publication Date: 2020.06.16 SUNRISE R&D HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A system and method for tracking a milk crate, a bread tray, or other instrument for transporting goods of a business makes use of an electronic tracking tag attached to the milk crate, the bread tray, or other transport instrument. The electronic tracking tag includes a microprocessor and a transceiver, and wirelessly transmits an identifying electronic transmission at predetermined time intervals. The systems and methods further make use of a wireless network including a plurality of nodes, where each of the nodes is positioned at a predetermined location and receives the identifying electronic transmission from the electronic tracking tag upon movement of the electronic tracking tag into proximity with a node. Each of the nodes are then connected to a central computer server that identifies a location of the electronic tracking tag based on the predetermined location of the node.