Kinematic asset management

• US 10,055,617 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Reynolds, James C., Dennis, Gary, Iyer, Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Application Number:
  US15/417,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20170140181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 235385
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A system for managing kinematic assets is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises an electronic identification device associated with an asset. The system further comprises a container comprising a reader disposed within the container for receiving a unique identification of the identification device. The container further comprises a reader node for maintaining an inventory record comprising the asset and for generating a report when the asset is not detected by said reader. The report further comprises a location of the container when said report is generated. The system further comprises a kinematic asset management platform comprising an asset registry for storing data conveyed by the report and a reports engine for generating a second report conveying the location of said container when the report is generated.

Claims

1. A high-value equipment loss protection system comprising:

an identification device coupled with an asset and comprising a unique identification;

a reader disposed in a vehicle scheduled for multiple stops in a service run, wherein the identification device is configured to detect that the asset is present at the vehicle;

a reader node disposed within the vehicle, wherein the reader node is configured to maintain an inventory of assets assigned to the vehicle, wherein the inventory includes the asset, and wherein the reader is configured to determine that the asset is no longer present at the vehicle;

a wireless transceiver configured to, in response to the asset no longer being present at the vehicle, transmit an alert prior to the beginning of the service run; and

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver configured to determine the location of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a kinematic asset management platform configured to generate the alert conveying that the asset is no longer present at the vehicle, wherein the alert is generated in response to receiving a report from the reader node.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the alert generated by the kinematic asset management platform comprises an inventory of assets present at the vehicle at the time the reader node generated the report.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the reader node generates the report in response to the vehicle being greater than a pre-determined distance from a last location where the asset was detected by the reader.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the reader node generates the report in response to an elapsed time from a last time when the asset was detected by the reader being greater than a pre-determined time parameter.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to generate an alert to an operator of the vehicle in response to determining that the asset is no longer present at the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one door sensor configured to detect when a door of the vehicle is open.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the reader node is configured to initiate detection of the asset by the reader in response to an indication from the door sensor that the door has been opened and in response to an indication from the door sensor that the door has been closed.

9. A method of preventing high-value equipment loss, the method comprising:

associating an identification device comprising a unique identification with an asset;

using a reader disposed in a vehicle scheduled for multiple stops in a service run detecting that the asset is present in the vehicle;

maintaining an inventory of assets assigned to the vehicle using a reader node disposed in the vehicle, wherein the inventory includes the asset;

determining by the reader node that the asset is no longer present at the vehicle;

prior to the beginning of the service run, conveying a report generated by the reader node via a wireless transceiver in response to the asset no longer being present at the vehicle; and

determining the location of the vehicle using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the report by the reader node in response to the vehicle being greater than a pre-determined distance from a last location where the asset was detected by the reader.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the report by the reader node in response to an elapsed time from a last time when the asset was detected by the reader being greater than a pre-determined time parameter.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying an alert to an operator of the vehicle using a display device disposed in the vehicle in response to determining that the asset is no longer present at the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting that a door of said vehicle is open using at least one door sensor disposed within the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising initiating detection of the asset using the reader in response to the reader node receiving an indication from the door sensor that the door has been opened and in response to an indication from the door sensor that the door has been closed.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the report from the reader node by a kinematic asset management platform; and

generating an alert by said kinematic asset management platform which conveys that the asset is no longer present at the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising including an inventory of assets present at the vehicle at the time the reader node generated the report in the alert generated by the kinematic asset management platform.