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Patent US10484820
Issued 2019-11-19
Methods And Systems For Container Node-based Enhanced Management Of A Multi-level Wireless Node Network
Methods, apparatus and systems are described that manage a multi-level wireless node network with package ID nodes associated with different packages, a container node in a logistics container, a facility master node, and a server at different levels. In one method, the container node detects an advertising signal broadcast by each package ID node and detects an advertising signal broadcast by the facility master node as the container node approaches the facility. The method offloads management control of each of the package ID nodes from the facility master node down to the container node as part of managing the first level of the network, and has the container node transmitting relevant node information to the facility master node. Such relevant node information provides information about at least one of the packages in the logistics container and reflects status information to be sent to the server by the facility master node.
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- 1. An enhanced logistics system for managing a multi-level wireless node network involving a plurality of packages, the system comprising:
a server disposed at a top level of the multi-level wireless node network, the server maintaining information on additional node elements of the multi-level wireless node network; a facility master node disposed at a second level of the multi-level wireless node network, the facility master node being in operative communication with the server, the facility master node being associated with a facility that is capable of at least temporarily maintaining the plurality of packages; a container node disposed at a third level of the multi-level wireless node network, the container node being part of a logistics container that currently maintains the plurality of packages, the container node further comprising a long range communication interface providing access to a long range communication path and a short range communication interface providing access to a short range communication path distinct from the long range communication path, wherein the container node is in operative communication with the facility master node over the long range communication path using the long range communication interface; and a plurality of package ID nodes disposed at a fourth level of the multi-level wireless node network, wherein each of the plurality of package ID nodes are respectively associated with one of the plurality of packages currently maintained with the logistics container and in operative communication with the container node over the short range communication path via the short range communication interface; and wherein as the container node enters the facility associated with the facility master node, the container node offloads management responsibility for each of the package ID nodes from the facility master node when
(a) the container node uses the short range communication interface to control each of the package ID nodes without direct communication between the package ID node and the facility master node, and
(b) the container node uses the long range communication interface to transmit relevant node information to the facility master node, the relevant node information comprising information about at least one of the packages and is gathered by the container node from at least one of the package ID nodes, and wherein the relevant node information reflects status information to be forwarded as an update by the facility master node to the server.
