Yard management system

Abstract

Yard management systems and methods are described. A yard management system comprises a database holding load information, a mobile application associated with a user account and executable on a mobile device. The mobile application when executed acquires the identifications of the load, queries the database for the load information, and generates a machine-readable representation corresponding to the identifications of the load, an autonomous yard vehicle configured to mechanically ample with a cargo trailer. The system further comprises a computing system programmed to, in response to detecting the mobile device at the transfer location, navigate to the cargo trailer and guide the coupling between the autonomous yard vehicle and tire cargo trailer.

1 . A system for identifying vehicles at a distribution center, the system comprising:
 a database storing load information related to a plurality of loads carried by the vehicles;   a mobile application associated with a user account and executable on a mobile device associated with a driver of the vehicle, the mobile application when executed:
 acquires the load information associated with the vehicle from the database; and 
 generates a machine-readable representation corresponding to the load information associated with the vehicle; 
   a computing device in communication with the mobile device and the database, the computing system when executed:   receives the load information associated with the vehicle from the mobile device;   transmits a status of a load carried by the vehicle to a client device associated with the distribution center when the mobile device associated with the driver of the vehicle is detected within a geo-fenced zone associated with the distribution center based on a location signal received by the computing device from the mobile device associated with the driver of the vehicle;   receives, from the client device associated with the distribution center, an image of the machine-readable representation scanned by the client device from the mobile device associated with the driver of the vehicle; and   extracts the load information associated with the vehicle from the image of the machine-readable representation received by the computing device from the client device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load information includes:
 a plurality of notifications of the load, the plurality of identifications of the load including at least one of a delivery number, a load number, a purchase order (PO) number, and a bill of lading (BOL) number; and   additional load information including at least one of trailer number, Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC), seal number, freight type.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the status of the load includes a real-time status of unloading the freight indicating estimated time to complete unloading of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device, when executed:
 updates an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the load based on the load information acquired by the mobile application from the database; and   transmits the updated ETA to the mobile device associated with the user account.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device generates and transmits a notification indicating the status of the load. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device transmits safety requirements of the distribution center to the mobile device and tracks safety reviews of the driver of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device, when executed:
 renders a map of the geographic area including a location of each load in the distribution center and a route for navigating to the location of the load; and   transmits the map and a load status of the vehicle to the mobile device associated with the user account.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile application acquires load documentation associated with the vehicle and compares the acquired load documentation with the load information associated vehicle stored in the database. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile application generates an icon indicating whether the load documentation is complete based on the load information acquired from the database. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device captures at least one image of each pallet of the load and the computing device verifies pallet information based on at least one image of each pallet of the load captured by the mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method for remotely identifying vehicles at a distribution center, comprising:
 providing a database storing load information related to a plurality of loads carried by the vehicles;   acquiring, by a mobile application associated with a user account and executable on a mobile device, load information related to a plurality of loads carrier by the vehicles;   generating, by the mobile application, a machine-readable representation corresponding to the load information;   receiving, by a computing device in communication with the mobile device and the database, the load information associated with the vehicle from the mobile device;   transmitting the status of a load carried by the vehicle from the computing device to a client device associated with the distribution center when the mobile device associated with the driver of the vehicle is detected within a geo-fenced zone associated with the distribution center based on a location signal received by the computing device from the mobile device associated with the driver of the vehicle;   receiving, by the computing device, from the client device associated with the distribution center, an image of the machine-readable representation scanned by the client device from the mobile device associated with the driver of the vehicle;   extracting, by the computing device, the load information associated with the vehicle from the image of the machine-readable representation received by the computing device from the client device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the load information includes:
 a plurality of notifications of the load, the plurality of identifications of the load including at least one of a delivery number, a load number, a purchase order (PO) number, and a bill of lading (BOL) number; and   additional load information including at least one of trailer number, Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC), seal number, freight type, a delivery number, a load number, a purchase order (PO) number, and a bill of lading (BOL) number.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the status of the load includes a real-time status of unloading the freight indicating estimated time to complete unloading of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 updating, by the computing device, an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the load based on the load information acquired by the mobile application from the database; and   transmitting, by the computing device, the updated ETA to the mobile device associated with the user account.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, generating and transmitting, by the computing device, a notification indicating the status of the load. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by the computing device:
 transmitting, by the computing device, safety requirements of the distribution center to the mobile device; and   tracking safety reviews of the driver of the vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 rendering, by the computing device, a map of the geographic area including a location of each load in the distribution center and a route for navigating to the location of the load; and   transmitting, by the computing device, the map and a load status of the vehicle to the mobile device associated with the user account.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by the mobile application:
 acquiring load documentation associated with the vehicle; and   comparing the acquired load documentation with the load information associated vehicle stored in the database.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating, within the mobile application, an icon indicating whether the load documentation is complete based on the load information acquired from the database. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 capturing at least one image of each pallet of the load by the mobile device; and   verifying, by the computing device, pallet information based on the at least one image of each pallet of the load captured by the mobile device.