GOODS TRACKING WITH BLUETOOTH® BEACONS AND SENSORS

INTRO

The shift in the global economy has triggered not only the online shopping surge and the demand for delivery services but major challenges too. To remain competitive and profitable, delivery businesses have to look for innovative and efficient solutions. Wireless Bluetooth® technology combined with process monitoring and automation opens up new horizons in the vehicle telematics industry, making a significant difference.

CHALLENGE

Shifting customer preferences, time constraints, unstable market prices, managing customer expectations, improper shipment handling, logistics route optimisation are the biggest challenges faced by delivery and courier companies every single day. Even more, according to BSI and TT Club Cargo report, theft of cargo in transit was the highest among all cargo thefts in 2020 - 71%. Losses from warehouses and other storage facilities increased to 25%.

To satisfy market demand, stay afloat, keep customers updated and optimise everyday costs, the present-day logistics business requires not only tracking and managing vehicle fleets but also the goods being delivered - parcels, packets, pallets, boxes, livestock, food, pharmaceuticals, etc.

That is why tracking proximity to identify lost and found events or monitor goods loading and unloading events becomes an essential procedure in the freight delivery industry. Sure enough, it is vital to monitor the route, track delivery time and record the last known location of goods. This optimises the delivery process and greatly reduces operational costs.

In addition, fleet managers need to efficiently manage the condition of goods during transport to ensure timely delivery to the right destination. In particular, critical parameters, such as cargo temperature, humidity, and even shock detection of items. All of this data and events must be tracked, recorded and immediately sent to the fleet tracking software application if transport conditions are violated, a package is lost or delivered to the wrong address.

But there is a major technical difficulty here - GPS signals often are not accurate enough to be practical indoors or in narrow streets as they diminish and scatter by surrounding structures - roofs and walls. Even more, the location error range of some GPS chips can be greater than the indoor space itself. The good news is that these challenges can be effectively tackled by utilising wireless Bluetooth® technology, brand new Teltonika EYE Beacons and/or EYE Sensors, and vehicle GPS trackers.

SOLUTION

All Teltonika GPS trackers based on the FMB platform support wireless Bluetooth® 4.X LE connectivity, so they can effectively communicate with Bluetooth® devices such as beacons and sensors. A tracker should be installed in a vehicle and configured the usual way in the spot where the Bluetooth® antenna is not covered by large metal parts nearby.

If it is enough just to monitor delivering package location, vehicle trackers and beacons combo should be used. Alternatively, in cases where it is required to get location and additional cargo data, such as temperature, humidity, magnet detection, and movement, it is advised to use a vehicle tracker and EYE Sensor sets.

How it works - for the sake of example, we use Teltonika vehicle tracker FMB140 model. The small and lightweight EYE Beacon or EYE Sensor should be attached to every delivery item to be tracked and monitored - the parcel, packet, box, pallet, etc. Because each EYE Beacon and EYE Sensor has a unique ID number transmitted over the air at configurable intervals, GPS trackers read, identify them and send this data as iBeacon or Eddystone profile, combined with its GNSS location details, to a server for analysis.

Dedicated software developed by a telematics service provider identifies and displays the location of all beacons and/or sensors (i.e. tagged items) based on proximity to the nearest tracker, helps manage Bluetooth® LE accessory allocation procedures, etc. As a result, delivery monitoring is conveniently accessible via PC, laptop or smartphone, greatly improving business efficiency.

To provide maximum value, these devices have two handy features to consider - 'Proximity event' and 'Filter by name'. Let's take a look at the special features of the firmware which, in combination with the new Teltonika products, EYE Beacons and EYE Sensors, make them the perfect choice for two prominent use cases in the field of goods delivery.

SMART FEATURES TO STAND OUT

Proximity events. The practical Teltonika GPS tracker configuration application allows choosing different settings and scenarios to satisfy company needs. Thanks to this, a vehicle tracker can generate location-related events, lost and found item events depending on Bluetooth® signal strength.

Here, FMB140 can generate asset proximity events depending on Bluetooth® signal strength received from beacons. This allows determining timely and accurately each moving beacon or sensor (so, the item of interest) locations grouped into ‘Near’, and ‘Away’ zones.

As a result, lists of tracked delivery items in each zone can be generated or specific event notifications can be initiated. As an example, if an item has left all trackable zones (aka 'Lost' event), a GPS device will register this fact, determine and record the last known location coordinates and the exact time of the event. All that is done to suit business needs as efficiently as technically possible.

Filtering by name. This custom filtering feature allows to group and name assets by a specific attribute or property meaningful to business operations (e.g., domestic delivery items or export; top priority or low priority goods; hazardous items, damaged items, etc.). The option helps to monitor and manage items or interest sorting, warehousing, loading/unloading procedures and optimise corporate fleet use even more efficiently, this way avoiding costly mistakes, saving time, and company resources resulting in maximum efficiency.

To sum up, Bluetooth® connectivity is low cost, high energy efficiency and accuracy, network independent, low interference, easy to install and use. Teltonika beacons and sensors, with configurable signal strength and data transmission intervals to meet exact customer requirements, can be easily integrated into virtually any size and shape of the environment. The overall result is significant project diversity and profitability, improved business reputation, competitiveness and return on investment.

TOPOLOGY

BENEFITS

• Customisable settings for every project - to get the maximum value out of it, Teltonika Bluetooth® LE beacon and sensor signal strength and data transmitting intervals can be configured to exact project application needs and used in, practically, any form and size buildings.
• Precise delivery goods location and status monitoring – 100% accountability of everything important to the delivery business - goods, valuable assets, processes, patterns, and personnel actions are being tracked, monitored, and optimised.
• Value-adding EYE Beacon and EYE Sensor features - abundant smart and practical event scenarios helping to track, monitor, manage and optimise cargo deliveries with outstanding efficiency.
• Wireless and affordable - Bluetooth® connectivity ensures fast installation and setup, low interference, power consumption and is inexpensive. If damaged, lost or stolen, Teltonika accessory can be quickly replaced.
• Improved profitability and competitiveness - considerable cost savings because of cutting goods, valuable asset loss expenses, anti-theft protection to boost profits, improved cash flow and investment/expansion opportunities.

WHY TELTONIKA?

Lost parcels, damaged goods, and frustrated customers are the nightmares that keep logistics managers awake at night. With Teltonika Telematics wireless beacon and sensor solution, these worries are a distant memory. Our comprehensive system tracks your goods in real-time, providing constant awareness of their location, condition and environment. This real-time visibility enables you to proactively address potential issues, prevent costly delays, and ensure on-time deliveries.

But we are more than just a tracking solution. We offer a complete ecosystem that supports you throughout your entire asset-tracking journey. Our expert team provides seamless implementation, ongoing support and valuable insights to optimise your operations. Choose Teltonika Telematics and experience the peace of mind that comes with knowing your goods are safe, secure and on the right track.