Construction Material Digital Chain of Custody System

Abstract

A digital chain of custody system resilient to wireless connectivity disruption includes an electronic database that stores electronic load tickets, a server, and one or more user communication devices wirelessly coupled to the server, examples of which include a sender communication device, a trucker communication device, and a receiver communication device. The receiver communication device and/or the server accepts a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier and uses a heuristic to identify a corresponding electronic load ticket in the database. In some embodiments, the receiver communication device stores information until wireless connectivity is restored, thereby enabling communication of the electronic load tickets, despite lack of wireless connectivity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A digital chain of custody system, the system comprising:
 an electronic database configured to store electronic load tickets, each electronic load ticket being associated with a respective haul of construction material by a vehicle, and each electronic load ticket comprising respective initial load data, including custody data;   a server coupled to the electronic database and to a wireless communication network and configured to automatically send copies of at least portions of ones of the electronic load tickets as respective confirmation electronic load tickets via the wireless communication network;   a second communication device comprising a processor and a second memory, and configured to:
 wirelessly receive a plurality of confirmation electronic load tickets from the server; 
 store the plurality of confirmation electronic load tickets in the second memory; 
 receive information about a load; 
 store the information about a load in the second memory; 
 use at least the information about a load to heuristically select a corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket, of the plurality of confirmation electronic load tickets stored in the second memory; 
 wirelessly send a load ticket identifier of the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket to the server; and wherein: 
   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the load ticket identifier of the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket; 
 select a matching electronic load ticket, of the electronic load tickets stored in the electronic database, that matches the load ticket identifier of the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket; and 
 alter the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database to indicate custody of construction material associated with the matching electronic load ticket has been transferred. 
   
     
     
         2 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a user interface; and   the second communication device is configured to receive the information about a load via the user interface.   
     
     
         3 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a digital camera; and   the second communication device is configured to receive the information about a load via the digital camera.   
     
     
         4 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a location system configured to automatically provide location information about the second communication device; and   the second communication device is configured to receive the information about a load from the location system.   
     
     
         5 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second communication device is configured to automatically:
 store the load ticket identifier of the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket at least until wireless connectivity is restored; and   wirelessly send the load ticket identifier of the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket to the server after wireless connectivity is restored.   
     
     
         6 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second communication device is configured to automatically:
 store the information about a load at least until wireless connectivity is restored; and   after both: (a) wireless connectivity is restored and (b) the plurality of confirmation electronic load tickets is received from the server, use the at least information about a load to heuristically select the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket.   
     
     
         7 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the information about a load consists of a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier; and   the second communication device is configured to use the portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier to heuristically select the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket.   
     
     
         8 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information about a load comprises at least one of:
 a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier;   a time;   a construction site identifier;   an inspector identifier;   a customer identifier;   a supplier identifier;   a geolocation of a truck;   a geolocation of the second communication device;   a material identifier; and   a truck identifier.   
     
     
         9 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information about a load comprises at least two of:
 a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier;   a time;   a construction site identifier;   an inspector identifier;   a customer identifier;   a supplier identifier;   a geolocation of a truck;   a geolocation of the second communication device;   a material identifier; and   a truck identifier.   
     
     
         10 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second communication device is configured to use both (a) the at least the information about a load and (b) second information obtained other than through the user interface, to heuristically select the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket. 
     
     
         11 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 10 , wherein the second information comprises at least one of:
 a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier;   a time;   a construction site identifier;   an inspector identifier;   a customer identifier;   a supplier identifier;   a geolocation of a truck;   a geolocation of the second communication device;   a material identifier; and   a truck identifier.   
     
     
         12 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a user interface and is configured to:
 also receive, via the user interface, third information other than the information about a load; 
 wirelessly send the third information to the server; and 
   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the third information; and 
 store the third information in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database. 
   
     
     
         13 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a digital camera and is configured to capture an image with the digital camera and wirelessly send the image to the server; and   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the image; and 
 store the image in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database. 
   
     
     
         14 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a digital camera and is configured to capture an image with the digital camera and wirelessly send the image to the server; and   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the image; and 
 store the image in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database. 
   
     
     
         15 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the image comprises metadata; and   the server is configured to store the metadata in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database.   
     
     
         16 . A digital chain of custody system, the system comprising:
 an electronic database configured to store electronic load tickets, each electronic load ticket being associated with a respective haul of construction material by a vehicle, and each electronic load ticket comprising respective initial load data, including custody data;   a server coupled to the electronic database and to a wireless communication network;   a second communication device comprising a processor and a second memory, and configured to:
 receive information about a load; 
 wirelessly send the information about a load to the server; and wherein: 
   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the information about a load; 
 use at least the information about a load to heuristically select a corresponding electronic load ticket, of the electronic load tickets stored in the electronic database; 
 alter the corresponding electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database to indicate custody of construction material associated with the matching electronic load ticket has been transferred. 
   
     
     
         17 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a user interface; and   the second communication device is configured to receive the information about a load via the user interface.   
     
     
         18 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a digital camera; and   the second communication device is configured to receive the information about a load via the digital camera.   
     
     
         19 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a location system configured to automatically provide location information about the second communication device; and   the second communication device is configured to receive the information about a load from the location system.   
     
     
         20 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein the second communication device is configured to automatically:
 store the information about a load at least until wireless connectivity is restored; and   after wireless connectivity is restored, wirelessly send the information about a load to the server.   
     
     
         21 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the information about a load consists of a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier; and   the server is configured to use the portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier to heuristically select the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket.   
     
     
         22 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein the information about a load comprises at least one of:
 a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier;   a time;   a construction site identifier;   an inspector identifier;   a customer identifier;   a supplier identifier;   a geolocation of a truck;   a geolocation of the second communication device;   a material identifier; and   a truck identifier.   
     
     
         23 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein the information about a load comprises at least two of:
 a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier;   a time;   a construction site identifier;   an inspector identifier;   a customer identifier;   a supplier identifier;   a geolocation of a truck;   a geolocation of the second communication device;   a material identifier; and   a truck identifier.   
     
     
         24 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein the server is configured to use both (a) the at least the information about a load and (b) second information obtained other than through the user interface, to heuristically select the corresponding confirmation electronic load ticket. 
     
     
         25 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 24 , wherein the second information comprises at least one of:
 a portion, less than all, of a load ticket identifier;   a time;   a construction site identifier;   an inspector identifier;   a customer identifier;   a supplier identifier;   a geolocation of a truck;   a geolocation of the second communication device;   a material identifier; and   a truck identifier.   
     
     
         26 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second communication device is configured to:
 also receive, via the user interface, third information other than the information about a load; 
 wirelessly send the third information to the server; and 
   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the third information; and 
 store the third information in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database. 
   
     
     
         27 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 26 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a digital camera and is configured to capture an image with the digital camera and wirelessly send the image to the server; and   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the image; and 
 store the image in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database. 
   
     
     
         28 . A digital chain of custody system, the system comprising:
 an electronic database configured to store electronic load tickets, each electronic load ticket being associated with a respective haul of construction material by a vehicle, and each electronic load ticket comprising respective initial load data, including custody data;   a server coupled to the electronic database and to a wireless communication network;   a second communication device comprising a processor, a second memory, and a user interface, and configured to:
 receive, via the user interface a load ticket identifier; 
 store the load ticket identifier in the second memory at least until wireless connectivity is restored; and 
 wirelessly send the load ticket identifier to the server after wireless connectivity is restored; and wherein: 
   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the load ticket identifier; 
 select a matching electronic load ticket, of the electronic load tickets stored in the electronic database, that matches the load ticket identifier; and 
 alter the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database to indicate custody of construction material associated with the matching electronic load ticket has been transferred. 
   
     
     
         29 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 28 , wherein:
 the second communication device is configured to:
 also receive, via the user interface, third information other than the load ticket identifier; 
 wirelessly send the third information to the server; and 
   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the third information; and 
 store the third information in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database. 
   
     
     
         30 . A digital chain of custody system according to  claim 29 , wherein:
 the second communication device comprises a digital camera and is configured to capture an image with the digital camera and wirelessly send the image to the server; and   the server is configured to automatically:
 receive the image; and 
 store the image in the matching electronic load ticket stored in the electronic database.