US 12,014,318 B2
Node-enabled logistics receptacle in a wireless node network
Ole-Petter Skaaksrud, Germantown, TN (US)
Assigned to FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC., Collierville, TN (US)
Filed by FedEx Corporate Services, Inc., Collierville, TN (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2014, as Appl. No. 14/492,355.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/003,566, filed on May 28, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/910,202, filed on Nov. 29, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2015/0154549 A1, Jun. 4, 2015
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/0836 (2023.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); B65D 25/02 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); G06K 7/10 (2006.01); G06K 19/07 (2006.01); G06Q 10/083 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0832 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0835 (2023.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G06Q 20/14 (2012.01); G06Q 20/22 (2012.01); G06Q 20/32 (2012.01); G06Q 20/40 (2012.01); G06Q 30/0251 (2023.01); G08B 21/02 (2006.01); H04B 1/3822 (2015.01); H04H 20/61 (2008.01); H04H 20/71 (2008.01); H04L 41/0813 (2022.01); H04L 41/0823 (2022.01); H04L 43/10 (2022.01); H04L 45/00 (2022.01); H04L 65/403 (2022.01); H04L 67/01 (2022.01); H04L 67/10 (2022.01); H04L 67/12 (2022.01); H04L 67/303 (2022.01); H04L 67/52 (2022.01); H04W 4/02 (2018.01); H04W 4/38 (2018.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01); H04W 8/18 (2009.01); H04W 8/24 (2009.01); H04W 12/06 (2021.01); H04W 12/08 (2021.01); H04W 24/10 (2009.01); H04W 52/02 (2009.01); H04W 52/04 (2009.01); H04W 64/00 (2009.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.01); B65B 25/02 (2006.01); B65D 25/10 (2006.01); G01C 21/34 (2006.01); G01C 21/36 (2006.01); G16H 10/60 (2018.01); G16H 10/65 (2018.01); G16H 40/63 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01); G16H 80/00 (2018.01); H04L 41/026 (2022.01); H04W 4/029 (2018.01); H04W 4/60 (2018.01)
CPC G06Q 10/0836 (2013.01) [B60W 60/00256 (2020.02); B65D 25/02 (2013.01); G05D 1/0022 (2013.01); G05D 1/0088 (2013.01); G06K 7/10366 (2013.01); G06K 19/0712 (2013.01); G06Q 10/083 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0832 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0833 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0835 (2013.01); G06Q 10/08355 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0838 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); G06Q 20/14 (2013.01); G06Q 20/22 (2013.01); G06Q 20/325 (2013.01); G06Q 20/40 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0269 (2013.01); G08B 21/0261 (2013.01); G08B 21/0269 (2013.01); H04B 1/3822 (2013.01); H04H 20/61 (2013.01); H04H 20/71 (2013.01); H04L 41/0813 (2013.01); H04L 41/0823 (2013.01); H04L 43/10 (2013.01); H04L 45/22 (2013.01); H04L 65/403 (2013.01); H04L 67/01 (2022.05); H04L 67/10 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01); H04L 67/303 (2013.01); H04L 67/52 (2022.05); H04W 4/023 (2013.01); H04W 4/025 (2013.01); H04W 4/38 (2018.02); H04W 4/80 (2018.02); H04W 8/18 (2013.01); H04W 8/24 (2013.01); H04W 12/06 (2013.01); H04W 12/08 (2013.01); H04W 24/10 (2013.01); H04W 52/0212 (2013.01); H04W 52/04 (2013.01); H04W 64/00 (2013.01); H04W 64/003 (2013.01); H04W 64/006 (2013.01); H04W 76/10 (2018.02); B65B 25/02 (2013.01); B65D 25/102 (2013.01); G01C 21/3407 (2013.01); G01C 21/3453 (2013.01); G01C 21/362 (2013.01); G05D 1/021 (2013.01); G16H 10/60 (2018.01); G16H 10/65 (2018.01); G16H 40/63 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01); G16H 80/00 (2018.01); H04L 41/026 (2013.01); H04W 4/029 (2018.02); H04W 4/60 (2018.02); Y02D 30/70 (2020.08)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A node-enabled logistics receptacle assembly in a wireless node network, comprising:
a receptacle having an entrance opening through which an item being shipped and a related node can pass and a storage area for maintaining the item being shipped and the related node;
an embedded node assembled with the receptacle, the embedded node further comprising
a node processing unit,
a node memory storage coupled to the node processing unit, the node memory storage maintaining code for execution by the node processing unit and a current inventory of nodes related to the receptacle, and
a communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and operative to communicate with nodes in the network, including the node related to the item being shipped; and
wherein the node processing unit, when executing the code maintained on the node memory storage, is operative to
detect a signal broadcast by the node related to the item being shipped prior to when the item is received at the receptacle and prior to the embedded node sending a communication to the node related to the item being shipped, the broadcast signal comprising a header portion including a status flag indicating that the node related to the item being shipped desires to associate with the embedded node so that the node related to the item being shipped can be managed by the embedded node,
associate the node-enabled logistics receptacle with the node related to the item being shipped by generating association data on the embedded node assembled with the receptacle, the association data reflecting a pairing of the embedded node and the node related to the item being shipped and comprising an address of the node related to the item being shipped and the status flag of the node related to the item being shipped, wherein the address of the node related to the item being shipped is a unique electronic identification of the node related to the item being shipped and the status flag further indicates the node related to the item being shipped has data for upload to a different node in the wireless node network,
determine a location of the node related to the item being shipped,
alter the current inventory of nodes in the node memory storage based upon the location of the node related to the item being shipped,
determine whether any package of the altered current inventory is present outside of the node-enabled logistics receptacle,
contact a server to request a pickup when any item of the current inventory is located outside the node-enabled logistics receptacle, and
instruct the node related to the item being shipped to change a transmission output power setting on the node related to the item being shipped to a different transmission output power level when the location of the node related to the item being shipped places the node related to the item being shipped in a temporary custody of the node-enabled logistics receptacle.