Tracking and tracing parcels using a distributed computing approach

Abstract

When managing a supply chain or an assembly site there is a demand both for the supplier and the customer to know exactly where along the transportation route the deliverables are. Some companies offer tracking systems for the whole supply chain, from source to destination. These types of solutions require a centralized server where the tracking data is gathered. The server is maintained by a service-provider, which usually is neither the supplier nor the customer of the product. The introduction of a third party in the supply chain could result in delays or failure in data integrity during the delivery process. In our paper we propose a lightweight distributed system that allows for automatic notification of a parcel’s movements directly to the server of the “owner ” of the parcel (usually the sender or receiver of the parcel), without the need of a third party service provider. The concept allows for efficient tracking and dynamic management of the product throughout the whole transportation process. The Java programming language provides tools for making small, distributed software applications. The software presented in the paper tackles these logistics problems by opening a direct connection between the tracking-checkpoint and the server of the parcel’s owner. In this manner the owner of the parcel gets rapidly updated about the shipment’s whereabouts. If the owner is alarmed from the checkpoint he can notify appropriate members of the supply chain of the error at an early stage, thus making the whole delivery process more reliable. The key to our system lies in coding the server location in an RFID-tag or a bar code on the deliverable itself. 2 1.