Methods, Systems, and Communication Protocols for Proximity Monitoring Mobile Network and Associated Methods

Abstract

A managing wireless device includes a local area communication device, a wide area communication device, a global position determination device, and a battery. The managing wireless device is attached to a first shipment component of a consolidated shipment. The managing wireless device is in communication with a server computing system. The managing wireless device has a unique identifier. Each of one or more additional wireless device(s) includes a local area communication device and a battery. Each of the additional wireless device(s) is attached to a respective shipment component of the consolidated shipment, other than the first shipment component. Each of the additional wireless device(s) is in bi-directional communication with the managing wireless device. Each of the additional wireless device(s) has a unique identifier. The managing wireless device and each of the additional wireless device(s) are associated with a same broadcast address.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for monitoring a consolidated shipment, comprising:
 a first wireless device configured to include a local area communication device, a wide area communication device, a global position determination device, and a battery, wherein the first wireless device is configured for attachment to a first shipment component of the consolidated shipment, wherein the first wireless device is configured for communication with a server computing system through the wide area communication device, and wherein the first wireless device has a unique identifier; and   a second wireless device configured to include a local area communication device and a battery, wherein the second wireless device is configured for attachment to a second shipment component of the consolidated shipment, wherein the second wireless device is configured for bi-directional communication with the first wireless device through the local area communication devices of the first and second wireless devices, and wherein the second wireless device has a unique identifier,   wherein the first wireless device and the second wireless device are associated with a same broadcast address.   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is configured to transmit an acknowledgement request through the local area communication device of the first wireless device, the acknowledgement request including the broadcast address to which the first wireless device is associated,
 wherein the second wireless device is configured to receive the acknowledgement request through the local area communication device of the second wireless device, and wherein the second wireless device is configured to transmit an acknowledgement response through the local area communication device of the second wireless device upon both receipt of the acknowledgement request through the local area communication device of the second wireless device and determination that the broadcast address within the received acknowledgement request matches the broadcast address to which the second wireless device is associated, wherein the acknowledgement response includes the unique identifier of the second wireless device.   
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device includes data identifying the second wireless device as being associated with the same broadcast address,
 wherein the first wireless device is configured to transmit an acknowledgement request through the local area communication device of the first wireless device, the acknowledgement request including the broadcast address to which the first wireless device is associated,   wherein the first wireless device is configured to monitor for receipt of an acknowledgement response from the second wireless device associated with the same broadcast address,   wherein the first wireless device is configured to determine when the second wireless device does not provide an acknowledgement response in reply to the acknowledgement request, and wherein the first wireless device is configured to record the date, time, and location when the second wireless device does not provide an acknowledgement response in reply to the acknowledgement request, and wherein the first wireless device is configured to transmit data specifying the date, time, and location when the second wireless device does not provide an acknowledgement response in reply to the acknowledgement request in reference to the unique identifier of the second wireless device to the server computing system through the wide area communication device.   
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wide area communication device includes one or more of a cellular network communication device and a satellite network communication device. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the local area communication device of the first wireless device is a radio, and wherein the local area communication device of the second wireless device is a radio. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the local area communication device of the first wireless device is an IEEE Standard 802.15.4 radio, and wherein the local area communication device of the second wireless device is an IEEE Standard 802.15.4 radio. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device is configured to communicate with an Internet gateway through at least one of the local area communication device of the first wireless device and the wide area communication device of the first wireless device. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one additional wireless device each configured to include a local area communication device and a battery, wherein the at least one additional wireless device is configured for attachment to at least one additional shipment component of the consolidated shipment, wherein each of the at least one additional wireless device is configured for bi-directional communication with the first wireless device through the local area communication device of the first wireless device and the local area communication device of each of the at least one additional wireless device, and wherein each of the at least one additional wireless device has a unique identifier,   wherein each of the at least one additional wireless device is associated with the same broadcast address.   
     
     
         9 . A method for establishing a Proximity Monitoring Mobile Network (PMMN) for a consolidated shipment, comprising:
 transmitting a unique identifier of a managing wireless device to a server computing system, the managing wireless device attached to a first shipment component of the consolidated shipment, wherein the unique identifier of the managing wireless device is included in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment;   transmitting a unique identifier of the first shipment component to the server computing system for association with the unique identifier of the managing wireless device at the server computing system;   transmitting a unique identifier of an additional wireless device to the server computing system, the additional wireless device attached to an additional shipment component of the consolidated shipment, wherein the unique identifier of the additional wireless device is included in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment;   transmitting a unique identifier of the additional shipment component to the server computing system for association with the unique identifier of the additional wireless device at the server computing system;   receiving at the managing wireless device from the server computing system a unique broadcast address for the PMMN for the consolidated shipment and a listing of each unique identifier of wireless devices included in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment;   operating the managing wireless device to transmit an acknowledgement request to each wireless device in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment using the unique broadcast address for the PMMN for the consolidated shipment; and   operating the managing wireless device to determine whether or not an acknowledgement response is received from each wireless device in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment in reply to the acknowledgement request.   
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 operating the managing wireless device to transmit a communication to the server computing system notifying that each wireless device in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment has replied to the acknowledgement request.   
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 operating the managing wireless device to transmit a communication to the server computing system providing the unique identifier for at least one wireless device in the PMMN for the consolidated shipment that has not replied to the acknowledgement request.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein transmitting the unique identifier of the managing wireless device to the server computing system includes scanning of a barcode affixed to the managing wireless device,
 wherein transmitting the unique identifier of the first shipment component to the server computing system includes scanning of a barcode on a shipping label affixed to the first shipment component,   wherein transmitting the unique identifier of the additional wireless device to the server computing system includes scanning of a barcode affixed to the additional wireless device, and   wherein transmitting the unique identifier of the additional shipment component to the server computing system includes scanning of a barcode on a shipping label affixed to the additional shipment component.   
     
     
         13 . A method for operating a Proximity Monitoring Mobile Network (PMMN) for a consolidated shipment, comprising:
 operating a managing wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment to periodically transmit an acknowledgement request that includes a unique broadcast address of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment, the managing wireless device attached to a first shipment component of the consolidated shipment;   operating each of at least one additional wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment that receives the acknowledgement request to respond by transmitting an acknowledgement response to the managing wireless device, each of the at least one additional wireless device attached to a respective shipment component of the consolidated shipment; and   operating the managing wireless device to determine whether or not each of the at least one additional wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment has responded to the acknowledgement request within a set time window; and   operating the managing wireless device to record an acknowledgment failure event for each wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment that does not respond to the acknowledgement request within the set time window, wherein the acknowledgment failure event includes an identifier of each wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment that does not respond to the acknowledgement request within the set time window, and a date and a time when the acknowledgment failure event occurs, and a global position of the managing wireless device when the acknowledgment failure event occurs.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 operating the managing wireless device to transmit data notifying of the acknowledgment failure event to a server computing system.   
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the managing wireless device includes a local area communication device, a wide area communication device, a global position determination device, and a battery, wherein the managing wireless device is configured for communication with a server computing system through the wide area communication device, and wherein the managing wireless device has a unique identifier,
 wherein each of at least one additional wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment includes a local area communication device and a battery, wherein each of at least one additional wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment is configured for bi-directional communication with the managing wireless device through the local area communication device, and wherein each of at least one additional wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment has a unique identifier.   
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 operating the managing wireless device to acquire parametric data from one or more of the at least one additional wireless device of the PMMN for the consolidated shipment and transmit the acquired parametric data to a server computing system.