Mobile asset security and monitoring system

• US 20030151501A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ayantra Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ayantra Incorporated
• Inventors: Dornadula, Kailas, Dujari, Shyam, Andre, Paul, Teckchandani, Ashok, Chetwani, Sanjay
• Granted Patent: US 6,816,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.19
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is a mobile asset security system that enables remote tracking and monitoring of the asset. The security system is equipped with a control and intelligence unit, a position determining device and a number of intrusion detection devices. The control and intelligence unit processes information from the position determining device with the help of an in-built virtual mapping system to obtain geographic information of the vehicle in the form of name of place, street, coordinates, etc. The control unit may be remotely configured and controlled through a built in voice recognition and DTMF tone detector. The geographic information and information regarding any violation of intrusion detection devices is converted to synthesized speech using a text to speech system. The text to speech system converts the speech to a language desired by the user. The synthesized speech is transmitted to the user'"'"'s communication device over an existing communication network.

Claims

1. A security and monitoring system for mobile assets, the system enabling real time contact with a user, the system comprising:

a. a position determining device for determining location data of the mobile asset;

b. means for providing geographic information based on the location data of the mobile asset;

c. a device for detecting the violation of a predefined condition, the detecting device generating a signal on violation of the predefined condition;

d. a central processing unit for processing the location data and the geographic information to obtain location information of the mobile asset, the central processing unit having a memory storing permitted locations and a predefined set of conditions, the central processing unit detecting violation of permitted locations by using the location information of the mobile asset, the central processing unit detecting violation of the predefined set of conditions using the signal from the detection devices, the central processing unit generating a status signal on violation of at least one of the permitted locations and the predefined conditions;

e. means for synthesizing the status signal generated by the central processing unit to output a status message;

f. a wireless communication device for two-way communication between the user and the mobile asset, the wireless communication device transmitting the status message to the user, the wireless communication device receiving control commands from the user;

g. means for interpreting the control commands, the interpreted commands processed by the central processing unit to generate output signals;

h. a plurality of output devices, the output device responsive to output signals from the central processing unit, whereby the output devices execute the control commands processed by the central processing unit.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the position determining device is a GPS receiver.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the permitted locations are specific locations of interest specified by the user.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the position determining device and the wireless communication device are integrated.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein means for synthesizing a status message comprises a text to speech synthesizer for outputting status messages as speech.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein means for synthesizing a status message comprises a modem for outputting status messages as text.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein means for interpreting control commands comprises a voice recognition unit for interpreting voice.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein means for interpreting control commands comprises a DTMF decoder unit for interpreting DTMF tones.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein means for interpreting control commands comprises a modem for interpreting text.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the output devices comprise a plurality of alarm relays and security relays.

11. An apparatus for security and monitoring of mobile assets, the apparatus enabling real time contact between a user and the mobile asset, the apparatus comprising:

a. a position determining device for obtaining location data of the mobile asset;

b. a device for detecting the violation of a predefined condition, the detecting device generating a signal on violation of the predefined condition;

;

c. a memory containing data regarding geographic information, permitted locations, predefined set of conditions and computer readable program codes, the computer readable program codes further comprising;

i. program code means for determining location of the mobile asset;

ii. program code means for generating a status signal on violation of at least one of the permitted locations and the predefined set of conditions;

iii. program code means for synthesizing the status signal to output a status message;

iv. program code means for transmitting status message to the user;

v. program code means for receiving control commands from the user;

vi. program code means for interpreting the control commands received from the user;

vii. program code means for generating an output signal in response to the interpreted control commands;

d. a processor connected to the memory, the processor executing the computer readable program codes stored in the memory;

e. a plurality of output devices, the output devices responsive to the output signal generated, whereby the output devices execute the control commands;

f. a wireless communication device connected to the processor, the wireless communication device communicating the status message to the user and transmitting the user control commands to the processor for processing.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the permitted locations are user defined areas.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein the device for detecting the violation of a predefined condition comprises an intrusion detection device.