Patent Application
20250227468
This disclosure relates generally to a tractor-to-trailer verification system.
In today's market, large transportation companies are becoming more heavily reliant on hiring smaller 3rd party haulers to transport their trailers throughout the various phases of the product supply chain. For example, a transportation company that owns a fleet of trailers may employ multiple 3rd party haulers. These 3rd party haulers each have multiple tractor drivers that are typically responsible for picking up the trailers from a shipping yard and hauling the trailers to respective destinations. Picking up a trailer generally entails that the 3rd party truck driver of the 3rd party hauler locate and hook a tractor to an identified trailer that is assigned to the 3rd party hauler by the customer. However, pickup errors occur when the 3rd party truck drivers pick up the wrong trailer (e.g. picks up a trailer that was not assigned to the 3rd party hauler). These types of pickup errors are happening with more frequency due to reliance on multiple 3rd party haulers that may or may not be sophisticated. The customer may not have a means to quickly and easily detect/correct these pickup errors, which results great loss of productivity and customer service issues.
Various verification systems are disclosed.
In one example, a tractor-to-trailer verification system includes a tractor driver smart device and a trailer device in the trailer. The trailer device includes a trailer transceiver and a trailer controller. The tractor-to-trailer verification system is configured to execute, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor, transmit, from the trailer transceiver to the tractor driver smart device, the trailer ID of the trailer, and confirm, via the driver-side software application, a match between the trailer ID and the tractor owner ID.
In another example, a hauler-to-asset verification system includes a hauler smart device and an asset device attached to an asset. The asset device includes an asset transceiver and an asset controller. The hauler-to-asset verification system is configured to execute, on the hauler smart device, a software application displaying asset verification instructions to the hauler, the asset verification instructions received by the software application from a customer device, the asset verification instructions including an asset ID of the asset and a hauler smart device ID of the hauler smart device, transmit, from the asset transceiver to the hauler smart device, the asset ID of the asset, and confirm, via the software application, a match between the asset ID and the hauler smart device ID.
The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.
The following detailed description provides a practical and reliable solution to prevent problems resulting from drivers hauling the wrong trailer. The definition of the wrong trailer being a physical trailer that is different from the trailer the driver was either assigned by the customer (e.g. transportation company).
An objective of an effective solution is to provide a reliable and timely check that alerts drivers and/or customers when hauling a wrong trailer either before drivers have left a facility or within a very short time window after leaving the facility. The ideal solution is a virtual solution that does not require additional hardware other than the hardware already deployed on the trailer and the driver's smart device, and assumes the burden of tractor-to-trailer verification.
This solution is referred to herein as a “tractor-to-trailer verification system”. In general, the tractor-to-trailer verification system determines the specific trailer that is physically hooked to the tractor, works reliably in noisy communication and high traffic locations, is reliable and scalable, is available on common platforms (e.g. Android and IOS), and provides a means to eliminate the dependency on the driver to perform tractor-to-trailer verification.
Generally, the tractor-to-trailer verification system includes a customer-side software application executed by the customer device (e.g. trailer owner PC) and a driver-side software application executed by the 3rd party tractor driver smart device (e.g. smartphone). The tractor-to-trailer verification provides the tractor driver with trailer verification instructions based on instructions received from the customer (e.g. trailer owner) via the customer-side software application. The driver-side software application, via the tractor driver smart device, performs communication with the on-trailer solution and the tractor-to-trailer verification system to ensure accurate matching between the 3rd party hauler and the customer trailer based on the customer instructions. Appropriate action is taken if there is mismatch (e.g. generate alerts and notifications as required).
Tractor 101 includes a tractor driver smart device 103 (e.g. smartphone, tablet, etc.) having a CPU, a wireless transceiver (e.g. Bluetooth, WiFi, Cellular, etc.) and display/input device (e.g. Touch Screen, etc.) for outputting information to the tractor driver and receiving information from the tractor driver. The CPU and wireless transceiver of tractor driver smart device 103 are not shown for clarity. Tractor driver smart device 103 executes a driver-side software application that communicates to a tractor-to-trailer verification server to facilitate the tractor-to-trailer verification method.
In a first operational example shown in
In addition, one the agreement is reached between the trailer owner and the tractor owner, the trailer owner (e.g. customer) sends trailer verification instructions to tractor-to-trailer verification server 205 (STEP 302). The trailer verification instructions may include various pieces of information including but not limited to trailer ID and tractor owner ID (e.g. identification unique to the 3rd party hauler that owns the tractor). The tractor driver uses the driver-side software application to locate and hook to the identified trailer and optionally enters the trailer ID or presses a hookup confirmation button in the driver-side software application (STEP 304). On-trailer solution 105 transmits the trailer ID to tractor driver smart device 103 (STEP 306). This transmission may be triggered by the tractor driver smart device 103 upon the driver-side software application detecting hookup of the trailer to the tractor, by detecting motion of the trailer (e.g., for a predetermined period of time or at a predetermined speed), by automated signal from a remote location (e.g. server 205) upon receipt of verification from the driver, or based on another predetermined event. Such transmission should begin within a predetermined period of time from the triggering event, e.g., within five minutes, or preferably within one minute, or more preferably within 30 seconds, or more preferably within 15 seconds, or more preferably within 10 seconds, in order to identify mismatches as promptly as possible.
Upon receiving the transmitted trailer ID from the in-trailer solution, tractor driver smart device 103 confirms the trailer ID via the driver-side software application which compares the received trailer ID to the trailer owner ID in the trailer verification instructions (STEP 308). This comparison and matching procedure may be repeated as the tractor-trailer leaves the pickup location to ensure that the received trailer ID is actually being transmitted from the trailer that is hooked to the tractor, and not from a nearby trailer in the shipping yard. If a match is determined (match between trailer ID and tractor owner ID in the trailer verification instructions), then a match confirmation may be displayed to the driver and also sent to the customer (e.g. transportation company). If a mismatch is determined, then a mismatch alert may be displayed to the driver and sent to the customer (e.g. transportation company).
In a second operational example, the tractor driver may choose any one of a number of trailers to haul. For example, as shown in
An overall operational example is shown in
In one example, tractor-to-trailer verification server 205 may transmit the trailer ID and matching tractor owner ID to driver smart device 103. This transmission may be a push from tractor-to-trailer verification server 205 based on customer instructions, or may be a reply to a request for trailer verification instructions from driver smart device 103. In either case, the trailer ID and matching tractor owner ID are displayed in the driver-side software application. Optionally, map 602 may also be displayed in the driver-side software application to help aid the driver of tractor 101 in locating the identified trailer 555 in the shipping yard. The location of the identified trailer 555 may be marked based on a GPS location determined by on-trailer solution 105 when the trailer 555 was previously dropped off at the shipping yard. The GPS location of tractor 101 can be compared with the GPS location of trailer 555 and displayed on map 602.
Rather than GPS, the tractor-to-trailer verification system may also use measurable signal parameters from the transmission of the trailer ID from on-trailer solution 105 in order to aid the driver in locating the matching trailer in the pickup location (e.g. shipping yard) and to more accurately confirm that the proper trailer has been hooked up. These measurable signal parameters include but are not limited to received signal strength (RSSI) and round-trip-timing (RTT) of a ping sent between the driver smart device and the on-trailer solution. For example, as the driver navigates the tractor through the pickup location (e.g. shipping yard), the driver smart device may send a request to nearby on-trailer solutions to send their ID. When a matching ID is detected, the driver smart device may use RSSI and/or RTT to locate the matching trailer among the numerous trailers that are in the vicinity (e.g. instruct the driver to travel in the direction that results in an increased RSSI or a decreased RTT until the matching trailer is located).
In either case, when trailer 555 is hooked to a tractor having the matching tractor owner ID, the driver-side software application compares the relative locations of trailer 555 with respect to tractor 101. This comparison is performed at hookup and after the start of hauling to ensure that trailer 555 is hooked to a tractor 101 having the matching tractor owner ID. If at any time, the comparison indicates that trailer 555 is not hooked to the tractor 101 having the matching tractor owner ID (e.g. relative locations are too far apart), the driver-side software application alerts the driver and outputs an alert message to the driver via the GUI and sends an alert message to the tractor owner via tractor-to-trailer verification server 205 indicating that a pickup error has occurred. The error could be a message such as “Tractor owner 444 has incorrectly picked up trailer 789! Please return trailer 789 and pickup matching trailer 555.”
As described above, trailer verification instructions displayed by the driver-side software application includes the trailer ID and tractor owner ID. The marching orders (e.g. pickup location, destination location, etc.) may optionally be displayed by the driver-side software application, or may be separately provided to the driver via the tractor owner's internal system.
A benefit to the disclosed solution is that the driver-side software application and the customer-side software application can be downloaded and installed as is typical with software applications in order to provide a solution that avoids driver pickup error and bridges a gap that currently exists between the customer's internal tractor/trailer monitoring software.
Although container 100 is shown in
In addition, transportation is not the only application for this tractor-to-trailer verification system solution. In one example, the on-trailer solution could be an in-location solution installed in a room within a building. The smartphone user (student, worker, etc.) may receive instructions to go to a particular room in a building (e.g. school, office building, hospital, etc.). Upon entering the room, the in-location solution would transmit an ID (e.g. Bluetooth ID) to the smartphone. The user-side application would then compare the received Bluetooth ID to the room number received in the instructions. If a match is determined, then a match confirmation may be displayed to the smartphone user via the verification software application and sent to the customer (e.g. school administrator, company management, hospital management, etc.) and displayed on a customer-side application. If a mismatch is determined, then a mismatch alert may be displayed to the smartphone user via the application and sent to the customer via the customer-side application. Needless to say, the trailer ID system could also be implemented for any two or more items (e.g. objects, persons, etc.) that should be matched together in the same location.
While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.
Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.
It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
In the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in fewer than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
This Application is related to, and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/318,145, entitled TRACTOR-TO-TRAILER VERIFICATION SYSTEM, filed on 9 Mar. 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2023/014342 | 3/2/2023 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63318145 | Mar 2022 | US |
