An Information Framework of Internet of Things Services for Physical Internet

Abstract

The Physical InternetPhysical Internet(PI, or $π$) concept was developed to address the current un-sustainability problem of logisticsLogisticssystems. The key physical elements in the PI include $π$-containers, $π$-nodes, and $π$-movers. The $π$-containers designed to be world-standard, smart, green, and modular are moved, handled, and stored throughout an open global logistic infrastructure. Meanwhile, the $π$-nodes and $π$-movers including physical systems and vehicles are designed to exploit as best as possible the characteristics of $π$-containers to facilitate material handling processes. Thus, the logisticsLogisticsindustry vision is a key player poised to benefit from the Internet of Things (IoT)Internet of Things (IoT)revolution since millions of $π$-containers with contained shipments being moved, tracked, and stored by a variety of the $π$-nodes and $π$-movers each day. This chapter proposes first an information framework enabling IoT of the PI infrastructure and then a service-oriented architecture (SOA)Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)for the IoT applied for providing the IoT logisticsLogisticsservices for the PI. A case study utilizing the architecture is presented to illustrate an efficient management service of logisticsLogisticsoperations in the PI.