Smart containers and systems and methods for shipping and tracking smart containers

• Main Authors: Sohmshetty, Raj, Friedman, Peter, Mitra, Pramita
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.11.2022
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDEDFOR ELSEWHERE; CALCULATING; CHECKING-DEVICES; COMPUTING; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; COUNTING; DATA PROCESSING SYSTEMS OR METHODS, SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORYOR FORECASTING PURPOSES; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECOGNITION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; STORING; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE,COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY OR FORECASTINGPURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION; TRANSPORTING; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS

Systems and methods for tracking a smart container are provided. The methods use sensors of the smart container to detect tampering with the smart container after the container leaves a sender and before the container arrives at a receiver. In particular, the sensors detect when the smart container has been opened by someone other than the receiver (i.e., tampered with) and write the detection of tampering (e.g., the sensor measurement) to a blockchain. Delivery agents use scanners to write their possession or agency over the smart container to the blockchain. Accordingly, the agency of the smart container can be determined if tampering occurs.