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.

Method/system for determining location of a mobile device having modules that are part of a terrestrial-based location system and part of a satellite-based global positioning system. The system comprises a remote system. The mobile device activates one of the location determining modules of the mobile device, the type of activated module selected according to a location module type datum in a message received from the remote system. The mobile device establishes a connection with the remote system and the remote system receives the determined location. A type of location determining module next used by the mobile device is determined or a period of time before the module device next determines location is determined. A message is sent from the remote system to the mobile device, comprising determined type of location determining module to be next used and/or the period of time before the module device next determines its location.

A technique for the estimation of the location of a wireless terminal. The disclosed technique considers boundaries that are represented in a geographic information system (GIS) database in combination with a first, unenhanced estimate of location, in order to generate a second, enhanced estimate of location. To do so, the technique generates a point cloud based on the first estimate of location. At least some of the data points in the point cloud are then removed, depending on their positions in relation to certain boundaries stored in the GIS database, such as the exterior walls of buildings and other structures. By considering these boundaries, the disclosed technique can increase the probability that the estimated location is within an area that is occupiable by a person, thereby providing a more reasonable result. The technique generates the second, enhanced estimate based on the distribution of the remaining data points.

Systems and methods for facilitating the sorting of assets to sort locations. In various embodiments, a sort employee scans an asset indicia using a user device, which stores asset data corresponding to the stored asset. As the sort employee nears a sort location (e.g., a delivery vehicle) with the asset and the user device, the user device automatically communicates wirelessly with a sort location receiver to associate the asset data with data indicative of the sort location where the user deposits the asset. In various embodiments, a device may determine whether the user device is proximate the appropriate sort location for the item, and may generate an alert upon a determination that the user device is proximate an incorrect sort location.

A technique for the estimation of the location of a wireless terminal. The disclosed technique considers boundaries that are represented in a geographic information system (GIS) database in combination with a first, unenhanced estimate of location, in order to generate a second, enhanced estimate of location. To do so, the technique generates a point cloud based on the first estimate of location. At least some of the data points in the point cloud are then removed, depending on their positions in relation to certain boundaries stored in the GIS database, such as the exterior walls of buildings and other structures. By considering these boundaries, the disclosed technique can increase the probability that the estimated location is within an area that is occupiable by a person, thereby providing a more reasonable result. The technique generates the second, enhanced estimate based on the distribution of the remaining data points.

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. The display-enabled transceiver responsively displays a notification related to the interactive intervention request on its user interface to present information about the potential adverse inspection condition and the need for the verified inspection for that targeted inspection point.

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.

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.

Aspects of the technology employ an integrated location identification and query processing technique. Network scan information is attached to or otherwise combined with a query at a client device and is sent to a web server or other entity for processing. When a query is initiated, the client device determines whether location services are enabled. If not, upon authorization they are enabled and visible network scan data is quickly obtained for transmission with the query. The server may include both a location identification service and a search service, and can split the received information accordingly among these elements in an efficient manner that minimizes data transfers and latency. From the client device's perspective, only one query is transmitted. Relevant results based on the resolved location are received quickly by the client device. This reduces system latency and power consumption, and also minimizes network overhead by eliminating unnecessary packet transmissions.

A processing system including at least one processor may obtain a location of a mobile device and a barometric pressure reading of the mobile device, identify a weather reference area and a ground reference area containing the location, and calculate an elevation of the mobile device from the barometric pressure reading of the mobile device and a barometric pressure metric of a weather reference point of the weather reference area, where the weather reference point has a predetermined elevation. The processing system may then determine a height of the mobile device over a ground level of the location based upon the elevation of the mobile device that is calculated and based upon an elevation of a ground reference area containing the location and provide a report of the location of mobile device including the height of the mobile device over the ground level that is determined.