Wireless remote asset tracking system and method

• US 10,152,679 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Burtner Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Burtner Group, LLC
• Inventors: Burtner, Richard Lee, Gafa, Jason Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Charles J
• Application Number:
  US15/045,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20170023377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

An asset tracking system includes sensors installed on an asset, where the sensors include a positioning sensor, and a remote central computing device configured to receive data from the sensors, process the data, associate it with a date/time of generation, and store the data in a database and including modules. A communication module receives requests for data and transmits the requested data, a display module displays the requested data, including indicating asset position on a map, an asset information module receives asset information and associates it with the asset, a route module receives route information, associates a driver with a route, and determines from the data whether the driver completes the route and whether the driver leaves the route, and a dashboard module displays a time-period data summary detailing information associated with the asset position over a set period of time.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of different types of sensors installed on an vehicle to be tracked, wherein the sensors comprise a GPS receiver and a second sensor; and

a remote central computing device configured to receive sensor data from the plurality of different types of sensors, process the sensor data, associate it with a date/time of generation, and store the sensor data in a database of the system, the system further comprising modules including;

a communications module configured to receive requests for sensor data from a remote user computing device and to transmit the requested sensor data to the remote user computing device;

a display module configured to display the requested sensor data on the remote user computing device, including displaying position data from the GPS receiver overlaid on a map to indicate a position of the vehicle;

a vehicle information module configured to receive vehicle information from the remote user computing device and associate the vehicle information with the vehicle;

a route module configured to receive route information from the remote user computing device, associate a driver with a route, and determine from the position data received from the GPS receiver whether the driver completes the route and whether the driver leaves the route;

a dashboard module configured to display a time-period data summary on the remote user computing device detailing information associated with the vehicle position over a set period of time and to display a route summary on the remote user computing device detailing compliance with set routes by the driver over the set period of time;

a geofence module configured to receive geofence coordinates from the remote user computing device and send a notification when the position data indicates that the vehicle crosses a boundary between the geofence coordinates; and

a remote control module configured to receive instructions for remote control of a vehicle and open an interposing relay that controls flow of electricity to a circuit on the vehicle accordingly.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information includes graphics for displaying the position data from the GPS receiver on the map.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuit on the vehicle is a starter circuit, wherein opening the interposing relay prevents the vehicle from starting, and wherein the remote control module is further configured to verify that the vehicle is not operating before opening the interposing relay.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein displaying the time-period data summary detailing information associated with the vehicle position over the set period of time comprises displaying geofence violations, engine idle time, total time of use for the vehicle, top speed, and miles driven.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle and additional vehicles make up a fleet, wherein the dashboard module is further configured to display the time-period data summary for the fleet, and wherein the time-period data summary includes fleet-level statistics.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein displaying position data from the GPS receiver overlaid on a map to indicate a position of the vehicle further comprises indicating a position and current route of each vehicle in the fleet on the map simultaneously.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein displaying a route summary comprises displaying for the vehicle a number of completed routes and percentage of total routes completed, a number of incomplete routes and a number of routed miles not traveled, and a time and distance driven off-route.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a notification module configured to send a notification to the remote user computing device in response to the plurality of different types of sensors detecting on the vehicle a temperature violation, an open door, a low or high tank level, an alarm system activation, a panic button activation, speed exceeding a threshold level, geofence crossing, landmark arrival or departure, and/or a route change.

9. An after-market vehicle tracking method, comprising:

installing a plurality of sensors on a vehicle to be tracked, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a GPS receiver and a second sensor;

transmitting sensor data wirelessly from the plurality of sensors to a remote central computing device;

processing the sensor data, associating the sensor data with a date/time of generation, and storing the sensor data in a database;

receiving a request for some of the sensor data from a remote user computing device;

transmitting the requested sensor data to the remote user computing device;

displaying the requested sensor data on the remote user computing device, including displaying position data from the GPS receiver overlaid on a map to indicate a position of the vehicle;

receiving vehicle information from the remote user computing device and associating the vehicle information with the vehicle;

displaying a time-period data summary on the remote user computing device detailing information associated with the vehicle position over a set period of time;

receiving route information from the remote user computing device, associating a driver with a route, and determining from the position data whether the driver completes the route and whether the driver leaves the route;

displaying a route summary on the remote user computing device detailing compliance with set routes by the driver over the set period of time period;

receiving geofence coordinates from the remote user computing device and sending a notification when the position data indicates that the vehicle crosses a boundary between geofence coordinates; and

receiving instructions for remote control of a vehicle and opening an interposing relay that controls flow of electricity to a circuit on the vehicle accordingly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle information includes graphics for displaying the position data from the GPS receiver on the map.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the circuit on the vehicle is a starter circuit, wherein opening the interposing relay prevents the vehicle from starting, and verifying that the vehicle is not operating before opening the interposing relay.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the time-period data summary detailing information associated with the vehicle position over the set period of time comprises displaying geofence violations, engine idle time, total time of use for the vehicle, top speed, and miles driven.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle and additional vehicles make up a fleet, further comprising displaying a time-period data summary for the fleet, and wherein the time-period data summary for the fleet includes fleet-level statistics.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying position data from the GPS receiver overlaid on a map to indicate a position of the vehicle further comprises indicating a position and current route of each vehicle in the fleet on the map simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying a route summary comprises displaying for the vehicle a number of completed routes and percentage of total routes completed, a number of incomplete routes and a number of routed miles not traveled, and a time and distance driven off-route.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending a notification to the remote user computing device in response to the plurality of sensors detecting on the vehicle a temperature violation, an open door, a low or high tank level, an alarm system activation, a panic button activation, speed exceeding a threshold level, geofence crossing, landmark arrival or departure, and/or a route change.