Abstract: Improved systems, apparatus, and methods for enhanced positioning of an airborne relocatable communication hub supporting wireless devices are described. Such a method begins with moving an aerial communication drone operating as the airborne relocatable communication hub to a first deployed airborne position, detecting a first signal broadcast by a first wireless device using a communication hub interface on the drone, and detecting a second signal broadcast by a second wireless device using the communication hub interface. The method has the drone comparing a first connection signal strength for the first signal and a second connection signal strength for the second signal, and repositioning the aerial communication drone to a second deployed airborne position based upon the comparison. Once repositioned at the second deployed airborne position, the method has the drone linking the first and second wireless devices using the communication hub interface on the aerial communication drone.

Abstract: A drone-based monitored storage system includes a shipment storage with an interior storage area and a drone storage area, an internal docking station, and an internal monitor drone disposed within the shipment storage that aerially monitors the items being shipped within the interior storage area. The monitor drone includes an airframe, battery, onboard controller, lifting engines and lifting rotors responsive to flight control input, communication interface, sensor array that gathers sensory information as the drone moves within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, and a drone capture interface that can selectively mate to the internal docking station to hold the monitor drone in a secure position. The monitor drone can gather the sensory information (such as environment information, image information, multidimensional mapping information, and scanned symbol information) and autonomously detect conditions of items being shipped based upon the sensory information from the sensor array.

Abstract: Drone-based systems and methods for conducting a modified inspection of a delivery vehicle are described. A system has a delivery vehicle transceiver and an inspection drone paired to the vehicle that aerially inspects the vehicle. The delivery vehicle transceiver has a user interface and a wireless radio, while the paired inspection drone has a housing, onboard controller, memory storage, lifting engines, and a communication interface. The drone's onboard controller is operative to identify different existing delivery vehicle inspection points from an inspection profile record; receive an inspection update message from the communication interface; update the existing delivery vehicle inspection points with additional inspection points to yield a targeted inspection points corresponding to respective parts of the delivery vehicle; and conduct the modified inspection of the delivery vehicle by gathering the detected sensor-based inspection information related to each of the targeted inspection points.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for generating a content related notification based upon managed logistics information related to a container using a container interface display apparatus. Such a container interface display apparatus records an update to the managed logistics information maintained in a memory of the container interface display apparatus and then accesses at least a portion of the managed logistics information maintained in the memory after recording the update. The container interface display apparatus then detects a notification event based upon the accessed portion of the managed logistics information. Such notification event is related to status information associated with the container or an item stored within the container.

Abstract: Drone-based systems and methods are described for providing an airborne relocatable communication hub within a delivery vehicle for broadcast-enabled devices maintained within the delivery vehicle. Such a method has an aerial communication drone paired with the delivery vehicle transitioning to an active power state, uncoupling from a secured position on an internal docking station fixed within the delivery vehicle and then moving to a first deployed airborne position within the delivery vehicle. At a first position, the method has the aerial communication drone establishing a first wireless data communication path to a first broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle, then establishing a second wireless data communication path to a second broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle. The drone then couples the first and second wireless data communication paths it established operating as the airborne relocatable communication hub for the devices.

Abstract: Drone-based systems and methods are described for providing an airborne relocatable communication hub within a delivery vehicle for broadcast-enabled devices maintained within the delivery vehicle. Such a method has an aerial communication drone paired with the delivery vehicle transitioning to an active power state, uncoupling from a secured position on an internal docking station fixed within the delivery vehicle and then moving to a first deployed airborne position within the delivery vehicle. At a first position, the method has the aerial communication drone establishing a first wireless data communication path to a first broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle, then establishing a second wireless data communication path to a second broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle. The drone then couples the first and second wireless data communication paths it established operating as the airborne relocatable communication hub for the devices.

Abstract: Drone-based systems and methods are described for providing an airborne relocatable communication hub within a delivery vehicle for broadcast-enabled devices maintained within the delivery vehicle. Such a method has an aerial communication drone paired with the delivery vehicle transitioning to an active power state, uncoupling from a secured position on an internal docking station fixed within the delivery vehicle and then moving to a first deployed airborne position within the delivery vehicle. At a first position, the method has the aerial communication drone establishing a first wireless data communication path to a first broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle, then establishing a second wireless data communication path to a second broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle. The drone then couples the first and second wireless data communication paths it established operating as the airborne relocatable communication hub for the devices.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for managing logistics information related to a container using a container interface display apparatus. The container interface display apparatus may comprise a mountable housing, a display screen, a memory, a scanner, and a wireless communication interface. The housing is coupled to the container to permit the scanner to identify an item being loaded for shipment within the container. The scanner identifies the item, and the apparatus records an association in memory as part of managed logistics information that reflects an established and tracked relationship between the container and the item. The apparatus increments package count information (another part of the managed logistics information) to reflect that the item is loaded within the container. The apparatus generates electronic logistics monitor information on the display screen to include at least a portion of the managed logistics information related to the container.

Abstract: Enhanced systems and methods for collision avoidance of a high value asset with reflective beacons around it using multi-sensor data fusion on a mobile industrial vehicle. The system has a sensing processing system with a LiDAR and camera sensors, and a multi-processor module responsive to the different sensors. The sensing processing system fuses the different sensor data to locate the reflective beacons. A model predictive controller on the vehicle determines possible control solutions where each defines a threshold allowable speed for the vehicle at discrete moments based upon an estimated path to a breaching point projected from the reflective beacons, and then identifies an optimal one of the control solutions based upon a performance cost function and associated with an optimal threshold allowable speed. The system has a vehicle actuator configured to respond and alter vehicle movement to avoid a collision when the vehicle exceeds the optimal threshold allowable speed.

Abstract: Drone-based systems and methods for conducting a modified inspection of a delivery vehicle are described. A system has a delivery vehicle transceiver and an inspection drone paired to the vehicle that aerially inspects the vehicle. The delivery vehicle transceiver has a user interface and a wireless radio, while the paired inspection drone has a housing, onboard controller, memory storage, lifting engines, and a communication interface. The drone's onboard controller is operative to identify different existing delivery vehicle inspection points from an inspection profile record; receive an inspection update message from the communication interface; update the existing delivery vehicle inspection points with additional inspection points to yield a targeted inspection points corresponding to respective parts of the delivery vehicle; and conduct the modified inspection of the delivery vehicle by gathering the detected sensor-based inspection information related to each of the targeted inspection points.

Abstract: A drone-based monitored storage system includes a shipment storage with an interior storage area and a drone storage area, an internal docking station, and an internal monitor drone disposed within the shipment storage that aerially monitors the items being shipped within the interior storage area. The monitor drone includes an airframe, battery, onboard controller, lifting engines and lifting rotors responsive to flight control input, communication interface, sensor array that gathers sensory information as the drone moves within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, and a drone capture interface that can selectively mate to the internal docking station to hold the monitor drone in a secure position. The monitor drone can gather the sensory information (such as environment information, image information, multidimensional mapping information, and scanned symbol information) and autonomously detect conditions of items being shipped based upon the sensory information from the sensor array.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, non-transient media, and methods are described that use a removable scanning sensor node for managing a load operation related to a container. For example, the method has the scanning sensor node identifying an item to be shipped within the container and mapping the space within the container after the item has been placed within the container using the node as temporarily disposed within the container and oriented to map the container's space from above the space. The method then has the scanning sensor node determining an occupied capacity within the container based upon mapping data associated with the mapped space and transmitting a notification to a managing node in communication with the removable scanning sensor node. The transmitted notification relates to the occupied capacity within the container as determined by the scanning sensor node.

Abstract: An inspection drone exclusively paired to a delivery vehicle identifies targeted inspection points corresponding to respective parts of the vehicle. A sensor on the drone detects inspection information relative to targeted inspection points once the drone has aerially moved proximate to each targeted inspection point. The drone automatically identifies a potential adverse inspection condition for a targeted inspection point based upon the inspection information. The drone responsively transmits an interactive intervention request to a display-enabled transceiver, where the request identifies the potential adverse inspection condition, indicates a need for a verified inspection of that targeted inspection point, and requests feedback regarding that targeted inspection point.

Abstract: A drone-based monitored storage system includes a shipment storage with an interior storage area and a drone storage area, an internal docking station, and an internal monitor drone disposed within the shipment storage that aerially monitors the items being shipped within the interior storage area. The monitor drone includes an airframe, battery, onboard controller, lifting engines and lifting rotors responsive to flight control input, communication interface, sensor array that gathers sensory information as the drone moves within the interior shipment storage area of the shipment storage, and a drone capture interface that can selectively mate to the internal docking station to hold the monitor drone in a secure position. The monitor drone can gather the sensory information (such as environment information, image information, multidimensional mapping information, and scanned symbol information) and autonomously detect conditions of items being shipped based upon the sensory information from the sensor array.

Abstract: Drone-based systems and methods for conducting a modified inspection of a delivery vehicle are described. A system has a delivery vehicle transceiver and an inspection drone paired to the vehicle that aerially inspects the vehicle. The delivery vehicle transceiver has a user interface and a wireless radio, while the paired inspection drone has a housing, onboard controller, memory storage, lifting engines, and a communication interface. The drone's onboard controller is operative to identify different existing delivery vehicle inspection points from an inspection profile record; receive an inspection update message from the communication interface; update the existing delivery vehicle inspection points with additional inspection points to yield a targeted inspection points corresponding to respective parts of the delivery vehicle; and conduct the modified inspection of the delivery vehicle by gathering the detected sensor-based inspection information related to each of the targeted inspection points.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for dynamically transforming dimensional data representing a shipping item being loaded within a container using a scanning sensor node mounted above a space within the container. Generally, the scanning sensor node has a memory, a depth sensor oriented to scan the space from above, and a communications interface to an external managing node. For example, the method uses the scanning sensor node to access the onboard memory for available material dimension data related to the shipping item. The method uses the depth sensor to generate scan data on the shipping item once the shipping item is placed within the container, compare the generated scan data to the available material dimension data, and dynamically transform the available material dimension data into the current dimensional data representing the shipping item based upon the comparison of the generated scan data to the available material dimension data.

Abstract: An improved cargo dolly for transporting cargo is described having a mobile dolly frame, a main shaft on the frame, a lever proximate to a first part of the frame (where the lever is movable relative to the frame and in responsive communication with the main shaft), a first set of transfer sprockets mounted to the main shaft, a secondary shaft rotatably disposed at a second part of the frame (where the first part is remote from the second part), a second set of transfer sprockets mounted to the secondary shaft, a chain disposed about the first set of transfer sprockets and the second set of transfer sprockets, and a locking pin having a first end fixed to the secondary shaft and a second end configured as an angled latch. Rotation of the lever responsively causes the locking pin to remotely rotate at the second part of the frame.

Abstract: An improved auto-chocking enabled cargo dolly that is towable by ground support equipment. The dolly has a frame, wheels attached to the frame that support the frame and rotate to allow movement of the frame, a tow bar, a linkage in communication with the tow bar and that actuates when the tow bar is raised, and a wheel engagement chocking system fixed to the dolly frame and disposed to selectively engage at least one of the wheels attached to the dolly frame. The wheel engagement system is responsive to a position of the linkage, where the wheel engagement chocking system applies pressure directly to at least one of the wheels to hold the wheel(s) in place when the linkage is actuated by the tow bar.

Abstract: A replaceable charging panel is provided for a unit load device having a plurality of walls. The replaceable charging panel may have a base member that is configured to removably attach to a first wall of the plurality of walls of the unit load device; and an electrical charging device mounted to the base member. A unit load device is also provided that has a plurality of walls and a replaceable charging panel.

Abstract: An improved retrofit assembly for ground support equipment providing autonomous operation of the logistics ground support equipment (GSE). The assembly has a refit control system attached to the GSE (with a vehicle dynamics control processor and a data preprocessing control processor), retrofitted proprioceptive sensors coupled to the vehicle dynamics control processor monitoring operating parameters and characteristics of the GSE, retrofitted exteroceptive sensors coupled to the data preprocessing control processor that monitor an exterior environment of the GSE, and refit actuators for different control elements on the GSE and to autonomously alter motion of the GSE. The refit control system programmatically receives sensor data from the proprioceptive sensors and exteroceptive sensors; optimizes a path for the GSE based upon the different sensor data; and activates at least one of the actuators according to the optimized path for the GSE.