Abstract: A traceability system for a bulk commodity supply chain is provided. The system includes a tracking device, a location determination subsystem, and at least one computing device having at least one processor. The location determination subsystem is configured to determine positional information of the tracking device while placed in a bulk commodity traveling along the bulk commodity supply chain. The processor receives the positional information from the location subsystem, extracts positional values from the positional information, and processes the positional values to identify motion primitives. A modeling tool is applied to the identified motion primitives to produce a positional path of the tracking device, which is output, for example, via a user interface. The positional path represents travel of the bulk commodity along the supply chain.

Abstract: A method for operating electronic lockers for parcel deposit and collection and pick-up wherein a remote shipping system transmits to at least one mobile device via a long distance communication network data related to parcels to be handled by at least one electronic locker and wherein a user operates the at least one electronic locker with the at least one mobile device via a short distance communication network without using a user interface of the at least one electronic locker and wherein the at least one electronic locker using the at least one mobile device via the short distance communication network transmits data related to parcels handling during the user operation of the at least one electronic locker.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to coordinating the exchange of information relating to the delivery of assets (e.g., packages, freight, supplies, parts, materials, raw goods, inventory, tools, and equipment) in a supply chain or inventor management context. A status token may be provided to an unauthorized user, wherein the status token is initialized in an invalid state. Attempts to query status information while the status token may be denied and/or convey no information regarding the status of the asset. If an adverse condition occurred during a designated time period, status information for the asset may be provided.

Abstract: A delivery method according to the present disclosure includes a step of delivering packages to designated destinations by mobile bodies traveling autonomously, each of the packages having a delivery priority level. The delivery method further includes a step of, when a number of mobile bodies gathered in a bottleneck section is larger than a number of mobile bodies capable of passing through the bottleneck section at the same time, preferentially causing a mobile body delivering a package of which the delivery priority level is higher than a package delivered by another mobile body to pass through the bottleneck section.

Abstract: Techniques described herein are directed to verifying a state of an item during transit. In some embodiments, shipment data including sensor data and/or user input may be obtained by one or more sensor(s) and/or input device(s) of a shipping container (e.g., box, conveyance, custom container, receptacle, smart container, tote) that houses the item during transit. Shipment data may be transmitted to a data store (e.g., blockchain, immutable ledger, distributed ledger technology). At suitable time(s), the location of the shipping container may be estimated and/or identified from the shipment data obtained from the data store. A state of the item may be verified at least in part by analyzing the sensor data and/or user input obtained from the data store. Utilizing the techniques herein, a determination may be made as to whether the item was mishandled and a likelihood that the item was affected (e.g., damaged, spoiled, etc.) during transit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for public transport infrastructure facilitated drone delivery are provided. In example embodiments, a request to deliver a package to a drop-off destination using a drone is received. Public infrastructure information is accessed. A public infrastructure terminal from which the drone delivers the package is identified based on the public infrastructure information. An instruction is communicated to transport the package to the identified public. A drone delivery route from the identified public infrastructure terminal to the drop-off destination is determined based on the public infrastructure information. An instruction to deliver the package using the drone delivery route is communicated to the drone.

Abstract: A method is provided for tracking a load when loading a vehicle. The load is provided with a load communication module and the vehicle includes, at an entrance, at least two entrance communication modules and, at a distance from the entrance and from the entrance communication modules, at least one vehicle communication module. The method includes, when the load is delivered to the vehicle, first communicating, by the load communication module with the at least two entrance communication modules and then communicating, by the load communication module with the vehicle communication module.

Abstract: A delivery management system and method is disclosed. A system receives storage chamber sensor data corresponding to material stored in a storage chamber, transport container data corresponding to material stored in a transport container, proximity sensor data corresponding to a proximity of the transport container to the storage chamber, and engagement sensor data corresponding to engagement between the storage chamber and the transport container. The system generates a confirmation of delivery of the material to the storage chamber based on the storage chamber sensor data, the transport container sensor data, the proximity sensor data, and the engagement sensor data and transmits an invoice for the delivery of the material based on the confirmation. Other systems and aspects are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing incorrectly addressed items in a distribution network. A user can identify via an interface items which are incorrectly labelled, addressed, or which identify an incorrect recipient. The distribution network can use information from the user to reprocess items, reroute items, or take other actions.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, an energy balance adjustment control method is provided and includes a process of receiving an output curtailment instruction for a distributed power source, a process of requesting a load adjustment to a consumer according to the receiving of the output curtailment instruction, a process of receiving a reply to the request from the consumer, and a process based on the reply including notifying the distributed power source of an avoidance of the output curtailment instruction in the case where the load adjustment is possible or notifying the distributed power source of the output curtailment instruction in the case where the load adjustment is impossible. Thus, an energy balance adjustment control method and an adjustment control device are provided in which the occurrence of output curtailment can be suppressed.

Abstract: A system includes an orchestration engine and a smart container. The system can dynamically update a transport process for transporting the smart container to a destination based on status data to use a combination of multiple carriers. The smart container can report status notifications while the transport process is ongoing. Examples of carriers include national/global carriers, regional/local carriers, gig workers, corporate/contracted carriers, or short-range delivery services such as unmanned autonomous robots, land vehicles, or aerial vehicles (e.g., drones). As such, the system can take advantage of a diverse ecosystem of carriers and adapt the transport process in real-time to optimize for a target parameter such as a time remaining to the destination, a distance remaining to the destination, or a cost to complete the transport process.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor; a memory; a power management unit; a network interface device, executed by the processor, to: initiate a communication link with a shipping fulfillment system to request and receive shipping fulfillment data descriptive of shipping requests for one or more packages to contain perishable goods to be shipped; and initiate a communication link with a weather forecast source to request and receive weather data descriptive of weather characteristics associated with a location the one or more perishable goods are to be shipped; and a package customization system executable by the processor to, based on the shipping fulfillment data and the weather data at a location where the perishable goods are to be shipped to, provide customization data describing how to customize a package to ship the perishable goods.

Abstract: A delivery management platform, a mobile application, and a method are disclosed. The delivery management platform can use the mobile application to manage carriers that perform deliveries of products. The delivery management platform can receive delivery schedules, group deliveries in the delivery schedules into loads, and use the mobile application both to make the loads available to carrier members and to receive events sent from carrier members. The delivery management platform can also use the mobile application to pay carriers and to receive information to update carrier data. Using the mobile application, carrier members can both interact with the delivery management platform and can assign, track, and perform deliveries.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to providing real-time response strategies in a supply chain. A system may be configured to obtain first sensor data collected from a first tracking device associated with a first asset, determine a first set of external data associated with the first asset, determine, based at least in part on the first sensor data and the first set of external data, a probability of failure and a mode of failure, and responsive to a determination that the probability of failure exceeds a failure threshold: determine a mitigation for the mode of failure that is available based at least in part on the first sensor data and the first set of external data, determine one or more real-world actions corresponding to the mitigation that, if performed, remediate the mode of failure, and cause the one or more real-world actions to be performed.

Abstract: An operation planning system that creates an operation plan of a vehicle with a rechargeable battery as a travel energy source includes: a reception unit configured to receive request information including a departure location and a destination from a user; and an operation determining unit configured to determine an operation plan in response to the request information. The operation determining unit is configured to derive a state of charge shortage by which there is a shortage when the vehicle travels in an operation section based on the state of charge of the vehicle and to create the operation plan by allocating a vehicle, which is able to be charged with the derived state of charge shortage until an operation of the vehicle starts, to the operation section.

Abstract: A device can receive a request for a schedule that assigns a fleet of vehicles to a set of deliveries. The device can determine that a parameter is not included in the request that is needed to generate a new schedule or that is needed to generate an existing schedule. The device can obtain the parameter using a historical user request, a historical schedule, or a scheduling template. The device can generate or obtain the schedule based on information included in the request and the obtained parameter. The device can provide the schedule to a user device and/or to one or more devices associated with the fleet of vehicles carrying out the set of deliveries. The device can modify the schedule based on a trigger. The device can provide the modified schedule to the user device and/or to the one or more devices associated with the fleet of vehicles.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to programmatically updating the status of assets tracked in a supply chain environment. A system may be configured to obtain first sensor data collected from a first tracking device associated with a first asset, determine asset workflow information associated with the first asset, determine an intelligence engine configured to generate an inference of a status associated with the first asset, determine the status associated with the first asset, wherein the status is determined by the intelligence engine based on the first sensor data and the asset workflow information, and store the status of the first asset in an asset tracking database.

Abstract: Various approaches for attaching tracking devices to pallets allow pallets to be remotely tracked through any phase of a transportation lifecycle. In a first approach, one or more electronic components of a tracking device may be disposed within a cavity of a block of a pallet. In a second approach, one or more electronic components of a tracking device may be disposed within a strut that interfaces between two beams of a pallet. In a third approach, one or more electronic components of a tracking device may be disposed within a cavity of a beam.

Abstract: A logistics operation optimization apparatus computes, for each operation process, a deviation degree between turns of articles of overall optimum proposals indicated by an overall optimum proposal list and turns of the articles in each operation process, estimation operation time, and an error of the estimation operation time from the overall optimum proposal, and the number of combinations of turns that are defaulted from an overall optimum plan indicated by an overall optimum plan list in the past, evaluates the overall optimum proposal according to an evaluation expression of a weighted linear sum including the deviation degree, the estimation operation time, and the error of the estimation operation time from the overall optimum proposal, and the number of combinations of the turns that are defaulted, and creates an overall optimum plan list of the best overall optimum plan, from the overall optimum proposals indicated by the overall optimum proposal list.

Abstract: Techniques for facilitating returns of ordered items include receiving, by a control device, a first code associated with an order, determining that the code corresponds to a valid order, and granting access to a controlled access area where a user may examine the ordered items. If a second code associated with a particular item is received by the control device, a determination is made that the code corresponds to an item associated with the order, and access to a container within the controlled access area is granted. Once an item is placed in the container, sensors in the container determine characteristics of the item. If the determined characteristics correspond to item data that indicates the expected characteristics of the item, data indicative of a return of the item is generated.