Intermodal movement status monitoring system

• US 20030097208A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Terion Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Doyle, Thomas F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,697,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system for tracking and monitoring the intermodal status of cargo trailers. In addition to the information provided by a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, the system monitors the status of various sensors on the trailer. The GPS unit provides the location and velocity of a trailer. A wheel monitoring unit provides the status of the wheels of the trailer, specifically whether there is rotation of the wheels or not. Anti-lock braking systems are used to provide signal information indicative of the wheel rotation status. An independent wheel rotation sensor is also used to provide the wheel rotation status. A computer processor determines the intermodal movement status of the trailer using the wheel rotation status and the location and velocity information.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring intermodal status of a cargo trailer comprising:

a wheel status monitoring unit for monitoring the status of at least one wheel of the trailer;

a sensor for providing data relating to the movement of the trailer; and

a processor for determining the intermodal status of the trailer.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor determines the intermodal status of the trailer by comparing the trailer movement and wheel information.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the data relating to the movement of the trailer includes position and velocity data of the trailer.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the data relating to the movement of the trailer is successive location reports.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is located at the trailer.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the processor connected to the sensor and the wheel status monitoring unit.

10. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein the wheel status monitoring unit is an anti-lock braking system.

5. A system as recited in claim I wherein the sensor is a Global Positioning System unit.

8. A system as recited in claim I wherein the processor is located at a central station.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 further comprising a subscriber unit connected to the sensor and the wheel status monitoring unit for receiving the trailer movement and wheel information data and forwarding the data to the central station.

11. A system as recited in claim I wherein the processor includes filtering means to filter the trailer information data for assuring accuracy of the data.

12. A method for monitoring intermodal status of a cargo trailer comprising:

monitoring the status of at least one wheel of the trailer;

providing data relating to the movement of the trailer; and

determining the intermodal status of the cargo trailer by comparing the wheel status information and the trailer movement data.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the data relating to the movement of the trailer includes position and velocity data of the trailer.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the data relating to the movement of the trailer is successive location reports.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein providing data is performed by using a Global Positioning System unit.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining the intermodal status is performed at the trailer.

17. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining the intermodal status is performed at a remote central station.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising, providing the trailer movement and wheel information data to a subscriber unit, and forwarding the data to the remote central station.

19. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein monitoring the status is performed by using an anti-lock braking system

20. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein determining the intermodal status comprises filtering means to filter the trailer information data for assuring the accuracy of the data.