System and method for determining and controlling status and location of an object
First Claim
1. A method for determining a status of an asset using a mobile vehicle, comprising:
- reading, by one or more sensors on said mobile vehicle, indicia of an asset in range;
determining, by a position-tracking device on said mobile vehicle, a location of said mobile vehicle;
sensing, by at least one of said one or more sensors on said mobile vehicle, status information about the asset;
recording, by a computer system on said mobile vehicle, any of;
said location of the mobile vehicle;
at least a portion of said indicia of said asset; and
said status information about said asset;
transmitting, by said computer system on said mobile vehicle, said recorded information to a central control server located remotely from said mobile vehicle;
receiving from said central control server control instructions for said asset and said mobile vehicle;
providing a display mounted to the asset, the display showing a thermometer or comprising a digital display;
wherein one of said one or more sensors comprises a camera; and
using said camera to read information displayed on the display.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are described with regard to determining and controlling a location and status of assets directly and/or indirectly. The techniques may be used to track and control the respective locations and status of any number of objects. Applications include but are not limited to tracking dry and refrigerated trailers and their status in a supply-chain yard; tracking pallets and boxes and their status in a warehouse; tracking items in a retail environment; tracking finished goods and work in progress in and around a manufacturing plant; tracking vehicles in a parking lot; tracking cargo and equipment at an airport; tracking equipment in a lay down yard; etc. In all cases the laborious and error prone data gathering is replaced with automated data collection methods reducing cost, increasing accuracy, and increasing efficiency.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for determining a status of an asset using a mobile vehicle, comprising:
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reading, by one or more sensors on said mobile vehicle, indicia of an asset in range; determining, by a position-tracking device on said mobile vehicle, a location of said mobile vehicle; sensing, by at least one of said one or more sensors on said mobile vehicle, status information about the asset; recording, by a computer system on said mobile vehicle, any of; said location of the mobile vehicle; at least a portion of said indicia of said asset; and said status information about said asset; transmitting, by said computer system on said mobile vehicle, said recorded information to a central control server located remotely from said mobile vehicle; receiving from said central control server control instructions for said asset and said mobile vehicle; providing a display mounted to the asset, the display showing a thermometer or comprising a digital display; wherein one of said one or more sensors comprises a camera; and using said camera to read information displayed on the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification