System and method for monitoring and control of wireless modules linked to assets

• US 20050222933A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M2M Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Philip Bernard Wesby
• Inventors: Wesby, Philip Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/36.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 : Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A system and method for remote asset management is described which can provide the basis for a diverse product group including an improved remote location monitoring system, a means for communicating with and for monitoring the status and or location of a plurality of diverse assets, as well as the means for communicating with said assets for the purpose of modifying the operational status of one or more of said assets according to one or more stored data parameters such as location, use, battery power, and such like. The remote asset management system comprise a wireless module, which is associated with at least one of the plurality of assets and which is interfaced with the operating system of said asset and or with an electromechanical control means, which may control one or more features of the operation of said assets. A supporting network-based, or internet-based service platform controls and manages the status of each of the plurality of assets, either automatically, or in response to received messages from fixed or wireless communication devices, and which is capable of selectively communicating data to said assets for changing the operational status of said assets according to pre-programmed conditions.

Claims

1. A remote asset management system comprising a fixed remote operator centre comprising a remote system server service platform (150), said remote asset management system further comprising a network of programmable wireless modules (10) communicating via a standard radio communication protocol, each of said programmable wireless modules (10) being linked to one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) to be remotely managed wherein programs, commands, parameters, and status data pass through said network of programmable wireless modules (10), each of said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising an identification module, a telecommunications chipset (20) comprising an antenna (30) to communicate via mobile telecommunications infrastructure (400) said telecommunication chipset (20) further comprising means for communicating via a standard wireless telecommunication network being either GSM (global system for mobile telecommunication) or GPRS (general packet radio service) or CDMA (Code division multiple access) or WCDMA (wide band CDMA) or CDMA2000 or WLAN (wireless LAN) or PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) or a pager network, or via a satellite telecommunications system, said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprises means (100) indicating the current mode of operation of said programmable wireless module (10), a data processing means (60) comprising a micro-controller and a software module, a FLASH memory and a memory module (70) and further comprising a power supply being supplied externally or via a battery (80), said remote asset management system being characterised in that:

said remote system server service platform (150) comprises a dedicated software for remotely programming said network of programmable wireless modules (10) via said standard radio communication protocol and/or via a LAN, with one or a plurality of same or different remote assets management applications or personal security applications and for causing said programmable wireless modules (10) to pass data to and from one or a plurality of said linked fixed or mobile assets (120) for remotely configuring, testing, monitoring and controlling one or more linked fixed or mobile assets within said network of fixed or mobile assets (120), and

said remote system server service platform (150) further comprising means for servicing a plurality of subscribers for remotely managing a different set or subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) on behalf of each of said plurality of subscribers, and

said remote system server service platform (150) being further linked to one or a plurality of fixed and/or mobile local system server service platforms comprising means for servicing part of said plurality of subscribers for remotely managing one or a plurality of said subsets of fixed or mobile assets ( 120) on behalf of said remote system server service platform (150) further comprising the functionality of one of said programmable wireless modules (10) and a computer integrating the set of operating, planning and management functions modules.

2. A remote asset management system according to claim 1 wherein each of said one or a plurality of local system server service platforms further communicating to said remote system server service platform (150) via said standard radio communication protocol and/or via a LAN to communicate via either a web page or via E-mail or via IP packets, and

each of said one or a plurality of local system server service platforms being a master for managing one or a plurality of slave programmable wireless modules (10) forming one of said subsets of fixed or mobile assets ( 120) each dedicated to the same global task of remotely monitoring one or a plurality of said same or different fixed or mobile assets (120) according to one or a plurality of said applications.

3. A remote asset management system wherein said local and/or remote system server service platform (150) comprising means for configuring and testing each of said set or subsets of programmable wireless modules (10) and their respective associated same or different fixed or mobile assets (120) according to claim 1 or 2 wherein;

said local and/or remote system server service platform (150) further comprising;

means for remotely initiating said respective set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10) by sending to said identification module of each of said programmable wireless modules (10) a unique encrypted code (PUK) to allow said local or remote system server service platform (150) to put each of said programmable wireless modules (10) in a programming mode, and

means for broadcasting a first list of one or a plurality of hierarchical privileged access codes to each set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10), said access codes being either whether mobile or fixed telephone numbers and/or PC or IP addresses, of different authorised personnel and/or subscribers to remotely access said set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10) and their linked one or a plurality of same or different assets, and

means for broadcasting a second list of one or a plurality of telephone numbers and/or PC or IP addresses of same or different authorised personnel and/or subscribers for said programmable wireless module (10) to be called either on request and/or when paged by said pager network and/or periodically and/or in case of emergency for transmitting status and alert or alarm reports according to said remote assets management application requirements for;

allowing said different authorised personnel and/or subscribers to remotely access said one or a plurality of said programmable wireless modules (10) and/or one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) respective supervision and/or diagnostic data according to his privilege level, and further comprising means for putting each of said programmable wireless modules (10) in an asset programming mode, and

means for broadcasting a third list of the data type and capabilities of same or different or one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) wherein said data types being asset type and/or model number and/or OS type and/or power supply and/or battery supply and/or duty cycle parameters of wake up versus sleep mode duration and/or enabled or disabled asset functionality and/or location data and/or service history and/or location history and/or performance optimisation and/or security lock-down features and of said parameters information wherein said parameters information being about corresponding services, maintenance, operating modes and emergency procedures in order to download said parameters information to each corresponding one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) in order to report back formatted status information regarding each of said or one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) to said local and/or remote system server service platform (150) in order to automatically integrate said reported formatted back status data in directly workable different dedicated spreadsheet documents and/or web pages for;

allowing said set of said programmable wireless modules (10) information data to be presented with all their subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10) for either operational purposes and/or technical diagnostic and/or maintenance planning and/or billing and/or balance sheet and/or schedule of assets and/or ordering goods wherein each of said status reports are sent accordingly to one or a plurality of telephone numbers or PC or IP addresses of said subscriber and/or maintenance team and/or security team and/or to said local and/or remote system server service platform (150), in order to provide each service being either technical or administrative or security and/or the subscriber with the unique data they need and for archiving and processing said status data automatically in real time, and means for putting each of said programmable wireless modules (10) in an operational mode, and

means for broadcasting said information data simultaneously to each of said set or one or a plurality of said subsets of said fixed or mobile assets (120) each being part of the same application and needing same said first and/or said second and/or said third list for forming an operational set or subset of fixed or mobile assets (120) sharing measured data in order to synchronise their actions to globally achieve said application.

4. A remote asset management system according to claim 3 wherein said programmable wireless module (10) further comprising;

means for receiving encrypted digital data via GPRS or in the form of data call or of one or a plurality of concatenated short messages of the SMS sort or E-mails, said encrypted digital data comprising said commands and request for said fixed or mobile assets (120) and an encrypted security code, and

means for authenticating said received encrypted security code against authorised personnel or subscriber codes from said stored first list for granting access and/or control of all or a selected number of authorised asset appliances according to said privilege level, and

means for transmitting encrypted digital data via GPRS or in the form of data call or of one or concatenated short messages of the SMS sort or E-mails to prioritised numbers and/or PC or IP addresses stored in said second list, and

means for downloading said commands and corresponding parameters representing the operational features from said third list to one or a plurality of said fixed or mobile assets (120) to which each of said programmable wireless modules (10) is wirelessly linked and/or wired, wherein said third list comprising a plurality of application-useful data lists wherein said application-useful data lists comprise of out-of-range conditions and/or basic troubleshooting solutions and/or alert conditions and/or high priority alarm, and/or

means for establishing a voice connection comprising a voice recognition software to recognise voice commands and a voice code and its associated privilege level and execute said voice commands associated tasks, and means for broadcasting stored voice messages to a number from said second list allowing only bi-directional data flows and/or allowing a two-way voice communication, and/or means for positioning (40) said programmable wireless modules (10) comprising an antenna (50) for tracking the location of said associated mobile asset (120), and/or a port module (90) connecting said programmable wireless modules (10) to a range of external assets or asset appliances or functional elements by means of one or a plurality of analogue and digital ports (92), said port module (90) further comprising a power supply ports (82, 84), a fixed line telephone port (96), a serial interface (97), a USB connection (95), a computer connection port (99), a PCMCIA PC card port or a firewire connection, a SCSI port for connecting a hard disk drive (HDD), and a microphone and audio headset connections (95), and

said analogue and digital ports (92) further connecting said programmable wireless modules (10) to a remote asset interface module (110) communicating with one or a plurality of said fixed or mobile assets (120), via a wired or wireless connection.

5. A remote asset management system according to claim 4 wherein said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising;

means for transmitting and storing requested data and/or periodically received data from said linked one or a plurality of said assets and/or emergency data of functional status and/or alarm and/or asset hardware anomaly in real-time for management and security purposes and means for transmitting said data to one of said local system server service platform and/or to said remote system server service platform (150), and

means for reporting in real-time said formatted functional status and/or said alarm and/or said asset hardware anomaly information requiring an intervention and means for broadcasting said information to one or a plurality of telephone numbers and/or PC or IP addresses from said second list wherein said intervention being either by remotely reprogramming part or all of said programmable wireless modules (10) or reconfiguring one or a plurality of said fixed or mobile assets (120) of one or a plurality of said subsets with new parameters and commands, and/or physically sending security officers and/or maintenance and/or medical personnel to the locations of said one or a plurality of subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) and/or to the location of said programmable wireless modules (10) for troubleshooting or doing the maintenance of said asset and/or programmable wireless modules (10) or physically handling said operating alarm as required, and/or

means for receiving and transmitting extended message service (EMS) and/or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message types, and/or said program module further comprising means for encoding and decoding the Extended Mark-up Language (XML) and said local and/or remote system server service platform (150) further comprising a computer software interface in the form of object oriented fields or Java applets, and further receiving and transmitting XML or wireless binary XML (WBXML) coded data and SMS compressed messages, and/or

means for saving battery power for automatically putting said programmable wireless modules (10) in a sleeping mode when said programmable wireless module (10) does not need to transmit nor receive nor process data and further comprising auto-power up means to awake said programmable wireless modules (10) and put it back in an operating mode when a certain programmed date and/or time or preset alarm condition occur or when said fixed or mobile assets (120) or said local and/or remote system server service platform (150) are communicating to said programmable wireless module (10) to generate a radio (SMS) or network (E-mail) message, and/or

means for executing a power on self-test (POSI), and means for uploading an acknowledgement status to said local or remote system server service platform (150).

6. A remote asset management system according to claim 5 wherein said programmable wireless module (10) further comprising;

means for controlling the duty cycle of said programmable wireless module (10) for periodically validating and invalidating during certain time of the day or week or month or year one or a plurality of said access code of a range of personnel in said first list to automatically control any public or personnel access to a protected area or precinct or building or floor wherein said public or personnel carrying an ID smart tag comprising said programmable wireless module (10) wherein said unique code being either its own wireless telephone number or a unique ID code or its PUK number,

means for remotely removing or replacing one or a plurality of said personnel and/or subscriber numbers in said personnel second list when said personnel is replaced or changes his telephone number and/or PC or IP address.

7. A remote asset management system according to claim 5 wherein said asset (120) further comprising;

a FLASH memory comprising an operating system to allow said asset (120) to operate in a plurality of modes, and

a memory to store received commands and measured status data to be sent through said programmable wireless modules (10), and

said asset (120) further comprising a blue tooth or an infra red or an ultrasonic or sound and/or a wired connection to said remote asset interface module (110) or being directly embedded with said programmable wireless modules (10) in a same housing to execute said wirelessly downloaded operational commands and or requests, and

one or a plurality of sensors and/or actuators and/or analogue/digital and digital/analogue converters to implement one of said applications of measuring physical data, wherein said actuators being either an electromechanical servo means or a stepper motor or a thermocouple or an inductive coil reading system, and

means for sending on request or when being paged by said pager network or periodically or when configured emergency cases occur, functional status, alert conditions, alarm conditions and hardware anomaly information in real-time to said programmable wireless modules (10) to which said asset (120) is linked, and

wherein said programmable wireless modules (10) in turn upload said functional status, alarm and hardware anomaly information to one or a plurality of telephone numbers and/or PC or IP addresses in the form of a message or of an E-mail, wherein said numbers and PC or IP addresses representing the different bodies involved in dealing with said alert or alarm conditions being either said remote and/or local system server service platforms (150) and/or said security officers and/or one of said subscribers and/or said medical teams and/or a specialized team as required by one of said applications.

8. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for monitoring mobile person or a group of people or for personnel location and surveillance or supervision in closed and open areas wherein

said closed areas being controlled compounds or airports or hospitals or buildings, or prisons or swimming pools or indoor sports resorts or leisure resorts or shopping centres and

said open areas being either outdoor sports resorts or leisure resorts or ski resorts or theme parks or beach resorts or national parks or protected areas being either military or civil, and wherein

said mobile personnel being personnel or crew or policemen officers or firemen or security officers or medical officers and

said supervised persons or group of people being children or elderly people or ill or disabled people or employees and wherein one or a plurality of said master programmable wireless modules (10) each being embedded in either a mobile telephone or a PDA comprising a micro hard disk being carried by a mobile team commanding personnel officers being either rescue or medical or security or authorised officers representing said intervening bodies, and each of said supervised person or group of people or personnel carrying each a slave programmable wireless module (10) embedded within a mobile phone or as a smart tag further comprising a unique button to take in and send a voice call allowing said people to be reassured in case they are lost or in danger and said smart tag further comprising said positioning module (40) (GPS) and means for automatically sending coordinates in text message via an SMS message or via GPRS, and

means for automatically paging each of a plurality of said slave programmable wireless modules (10) to respond with its unique ID code, and status data either including its precise location (GPS) or said remote managing system being able to calculate said coordinates within said closed or open area and/or medical status data when said programmable wireless modules (10) is carried by a medically supervised disabled person wherein said sensors are dedicated medical sensors controlling the health state of said disabled person and providing said wireless module (10) with medical status data, and

said local system server service platform being located within said open or closed area and further comprising means for checking said ID code against a local system server service platform authorised first list and a database stored in said hard disks of medical records and/or rights an obligations records of said supervised people regarding said application, further comprising

means to determine whether said supervised person or personnel is in need of an intervention from medical or rescue or for said personnel to face an unforeseen situation or for a specific member of personnel to execute an order, and dynamically updating said remote assets (120) and sending all necessary information to be put in said first and second and third lists to allow different intervening teams each comprising a master and a plurality of slave programmable wireless modules (10) to synchronise their efforts to achieve their missions according to said application.

9. A remote asset management system according to claim 8 wherein said application is for monitoring unauthorised mobile persons or a group of people or for personnel location and surveillance or supervision in closed and open areas wherein said people or group of people carrying no programmable wireless module and/or said personnel entering said open or closed area illegally using said smart tag when not authorised, wherein

said local system server service platform comprising a database of known unauthorised personnel not on duty and a data base of undesired people or of people having a criminal record received by said local system service platform from the national police department,

means to send to authorised security officers located at predetermined checking points said status data to allow said local system server service platform to allow said authorised security officers to determine if an unauthorised personnel is illegally inside said area and said local system server service platform further transmitting a digital message to each of the security officers of the team in place in the vicinity of said unauthorised personnel with his photograph and personal data and its location within said area by means of one or a plurality of MMS and/or SMS messages in order for said security officers to locate said unauthorised personnel visually and take the necessary action, and

said local system server service platform comprising means for controlling in real time a plurality of said smart tags for further allowing said local system server administrator to manage the presence, time, and the exact location of each of said supervised person or personnel within said area in real-time, and

said local system server service platform comprising means for receiving from the police representative a list and status data of criminal records of people to be either prohibited to penetrate said compound or to be more carefully checked or supervised or arrested by police personnel carrying said programmable wireless module (10) embedded in either a cellular telephone or a PDA comprising a micro hard disk, to which an SMS and/or MMS message should be sent to let them know the person'"'"'s appearance and where said person is to be encountered within said area,

said smart tags carried by personnel further comprising a LCD screen to which messages can be read and allowing said local system server service platform to further send messages to said area security officer and to said personnel to assess their status authorised or not authorised, and/or

said local system server service platform being further linked to a remote system server service platform (150) to synchronise their authorised personnel database and suspicious people database and share said databases with different local system server service platforms located at different supervised open or closed areas nation wide and/or world wide.

10. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for managing a network of vending machines wherein

said actuators lock said vending machine when specific conditions are met wherein said specific conditions being for prohibiting access to said vending machine when not desired, and

said sensors gather measured data wherein said measured data being the number of times the door is open and/or how many of each good has being bought in a programmable period of time and/or the amount of cash there is in said machine, and

said sensors further gathering said machine diagnostic status and/or failure and/or temperature variation and/or unauthorised movement or of goods being taken, wherein

said measured data are each sent by said programmable wireless module (10) to the corresponding service personnel for an appropriate operation located at said local fixed or mobile in a vehicle en route or remote system server service platform (150), said operation being launched after collecting and analysing said measured data, wherein

said operation being remote warranty diagnostic, and route planning allowing retailers to take the optimum route for carrying the exact quantity of each product in order to refill said network of vending machines, and stock planning and cash monitoring allowing said local or remote system server service platform (150) to optimise the product mix available for each of said vending machine, and also knowing the exact cash amount to be collected for each of said vending machine, and

said operation further being service and part requirements, for allowing said vending machine maintenance service to send local engineers of the service and part requirements knowing the exact parts to be repaired or replaced, and

said vending machine further comprising one of said sensors to detect unauthorised movement of said vending machine to send an alarm to the security service for a quick intervention.

11. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for utility metering of private or public precincts wherein

said utility metering being water and/or gas and/or electric and/or flow and/or fluid level metering wherein each of said programmable wireless modules (10) is linked to one or a plurality of same utilities wherein each of said programmable wireless module (10) passes status data on request or when paged by said pager network or periodically in the form of an SMS message or via GPRS to the respective utility company each associated with a local or remote system server service platform (150), for billing and statistic and maintenance purposes, and

said data in the XML or WBXML and/or in said application adapted format to allow respective utility companies to send said information to their clients either by Internet or by mail.

12. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for vehicle telematics wherein independent vehicles subscribing individually to a service from a vehicle telematics and security service provider or as a fleet of vehicles wherein said vehicles being taxis or corporate cars, or busses or trains or aircraft or boats or bicycles wherein

each of said vehicles being further equipped with said programmable wireless module (10) and said mobile asset (110) comprising an onboard computer comprising a screen, said telematics application being remote diagnostics and/or live navigation assistance and/or weather conditions and/or information of interest services and/or real time traffic information and alternative route advises to avoid traffic congestion and/or voice recorder and/or vehicle tracking and/or storing received telephone numbers calling and/or E-mail messages, wherein

said information and status data are displayed in the proper format wherein said location information are embedded in a digital map and others information are as well displayed to give the driver or pilot a clear view of the actual situation and whereabouts, and/or

said vehicle further comprising an anti theft system embedded in the electronic component of the motor of said vehicle controlling the motor ignition and door opening and automatically sending an SMS to said local and/or remote system server service platform (150) and/or to the police and/or security department where said vehicle is to report said theft and the precise coordinates using said GSM module or said locating module of said vehicle, and

said programmable wireless module (10) periodically sending or on request or when paged by said pager network useful diagnostic data to the remote maintenance computer located in said local or

remote system server service platform (150) in charge of said vehicle to allow parts ordering for replacement before breaking and said computer remotely updating operating parameters of said vehicle and automatically requesting a maintenance appointment and giving the address and path to the specialised garage in the case of a terrestrial vehicle or signalling to the maintenance team to take charge of said vehicle and exactly knowing what repair or maintenance to do when out of the normal maintenance schedule, and/or

said remote maintenance computer adapting the functioning parameters according to said received diagnostic statuses in order to allow an optimum modified vehicle operating capability for reasons of performance and security.

13. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for use in a facility management system wherein

said facility being hospitals or pharmaceutical or biological or medical research laboratories and/or clean rooms of semiconductors manufacturers or building automation systems of private or public building or home automation, wherein

said assets being facility appliances for burglar alarms and/or goods refrigeration devices and/or room temperature regulation devices and/or for electronic key control and/or automatic door opening devices and/or panic hardware devices and/or fire and/or smoke detection devices and/or false alarm protection devices and/or for a filtering system for air intake systems and/or a security camera or video camera and/or elevators and/or fan system control devices and/or heating system and/or solid-state video recorder and/or sauna heater, wherein said sensors being for air velocity and flow and/or temperature and/or air pollution and/or humidity and/or C02 and/or combustible gas and/or gas flame measurement and/or movement or pressure for intruder detection and/or utility metering,

each of said appliances being further linked to one of said programmable wireless modules (10) either in the same housing or via a blue tooth radio link or via direct connection through said remote asset interface module (110) for reporting respectively measured data to respective local and/or remote system server service platform (150) wherein said local or remote system server service platform (150) being located in said facility perimeter and comprising a computer for responding adequately to one of said and by passing updated parameters either pre-programmed or received from said required services to allow said facility to operate safely, wherein said facility management system further comprising means for remotely controlling said facility management system by a supervisor and/or one of said subscribers wherein said means being a PDA comprising a micro hard disk or a Laptop computer, embedded with one of said programmable wireless modules (10) wherein said controlling means comprising means for receiving status data and/or a photograph of an intruder in the form of one or more MMS messages.

14. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for environmental sensing system or for supervising local and/or global environmental conditions wherein said environmental conditions are weather control and forecast or greenhouse effect measurement or earthquake warning/prediction or volcano supervision or sea temperature and sea current supervision and wave height and displacement speed and oil spillage propagation or atmosphere supervision or tornado formation or river contamination and flood prediction, wherein

said programmable wireless module (10) being mounted with said sensors in a carrier adapted to the environment, and

said sensors being air and/or sea pressure sensors and/or tectonic sensors and/or temperature sensors and/or air speed sensors and/or water flow sensors and/or specific chemical substance sensors and/or high atmosphere probes and

said measured data being acidity level and/or alkalinity level and/or concentration of dissolved oxygen and/or carbon monoxide level and/or contaminant concentration and/or level of radioactivity and/or ultrasound level and/or carbon dioxide concentration or atmospheric temperature or surface sea water and/or deep sea water temperature and/or air pressure and/or humidity level and/or pollution or contamination level and/or levels of rivers and/or wind speed, and

said remote system server service platform (150) collecting said data for allowing short term and long term weather forecast and storm and other dramatic weather situations or tsunami or earthquake early warning and/or pollution or contamination level assessment of supervised sea and atmosphere and supervised river and lake and earth zone.

15. A remote asset management system according to claim 7 wherein said application is for freight or object-tracking and/or marshalling yard of said freight or object in supervised areas wherein

said freight or objects containers comprising a programmable wireless module (10) embedded in a housing with said positioning module (40) being either a GPS module or a beacon system or a pageable module to be able to locate said programmable wireless module (10) wherein

said areas being airport or bus station or train station or sea or lake or river port or railway network or road network or open sea and

each of said objects, being luggage or packages or parcels and said containers all located in boat or aircraft or train or truck or bus or packet delivery vans or vehicles, wherein each of said object comprising a smart tag, wherein

said smart tag being further capable of sending status data of said freight or objects in a wagon and/or in a container and/or in a trailer when said wagon and/or in a container and/or in a trailer comprising more than one tagged object, either through said wagon and/or in a container and/or trailer programmable wireless module (10) by means of a short distance radio transmitter or blue tooth, or directly by means of an embedded personal programmable wireless module (10) when said freight or object deserves a special care.

16. A method for managing a remote asset management system comprising a fixed remote operator centre comprising a remote system server service platform (150), said remote asset management system further comprising a network of programmable wireless modules (10) communicating via a standard radio communication protocol, each of said programmable wireless modules (10) being linked to one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) to be remotely managed wherein programs, commands, parameters, and status data pass through said network of programmable wireless modules (10), each of said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising an identification module, a telecommunications chipset (20) comprising an antenna (30) to communicate via a mobile telecommunications infrastructure (400) said telecommunication chipset (20) further comprising means for communicating via a standard wireless telecommunication network being either GSM (global system for mobile telecommunication) or GPRS (general packet radio service) or CDMA (Code division multiple access) or WCDMA (wide band CDMA) or CDMA2000 or WLAN (wireless LAN) or PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), or a pager network or via a satellite telecommunications system, said programmable wireless modules (10) may further comprise means (100) indicating the current mode of operation of said programmable wireless module (10), a data processing means (60) comprising a micro-controller and a software module, a FLASH memory and a memory module (70) and further comprising a power supply being supplied externally or via a battery (80), said method of managing said remote asset management system being characterised by the steps of:

remotely programming by a remote system server service administrator said network of programmable wireless modules (10) at said remote system server service platform (150) via said standard radio communication protocol and/or via a LAN, with one or a plurality of same or different remote assets management applications or personal security applications, causing said programmable wireless modules (10) to pass the data to and from one or a plurality of said linked fixed or mobile assets (120) for configuring, testing, monitoring and controlling said network of fixed or mobile assets (120), and

servicing by said remote system server service administrator a plurality of subscribers by remotely managing a different set or subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) on behalf of each of said plurality of subscribers, said remote system server service platform (150) being further linked to one or a plurality of fixed and/or mobile local system server service platform, servicing by a local system server service administrator at said local system server service platform part of said plurality of subscribers for remotely managing one or a plurality of said subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) on behalf of said remote system server service platform (150) further comprising one of said programmable wireless module (10) and a computer integrating operating, planning and management functions modules,

each of said one or a plurality of local system server service platforms further communicating to said remote system server service platform (150) via said standard radio communication protocol and/or via a LAN or a web page or by E-mail.

17. A method for managing a remote asset management system according to claim 16 wherein each of said one or a plurality of local system server service platforms being a master for managing one or a plurality of slave programmable wireless modules (10) forming one of said subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) each dedicated to the same global task of remotely monitoring one or a plurality of said same or different assets (120) according to one of said applications wherein said subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) sharing measured data in order to synchronise their actions to globally achieve said application.

18. A method for managing a remote asset management system according to claim 17 wherein said step of remotely programming said network of programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising the steps of;

remotely initiating by said local or remote system server service administrator said respective set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10) by sending to said identification module of each of said programmable wireless modules (10) a unique encrypted code (PUK), and testing said respective set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10) and responding to said local or remote system server service administrator by an acknowledgement signal, and further putting each of said programmable wireless modules (10) in a programming mode,

broadcasting a first list of one or a plurality of hierarchical privileged access codes to each set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10), said access codes being either mobile or fixed telephone numbers and/or PC or IP addresses, of different authorised personnel and/or subscribers to remotely access said set or subsets of said programmable wireless modules (10) and their linked one or a plurality of same or different fixed or mobile assets (120), and

broadcasting a second list of one or a plurality of telephone numbers and/or PC or IP addresses of same or different authorised personnel and/or subscribers for said programmable wireless module (10) to be called either on request and/or when paged by said pager network and/or periodically according to a programmed period and/or in case of emergency for transmitting formatted status and alarm reports according to said remote assets management application requirements, and further putting each of said programmable wireless modules (10) in an asset initiating mode, and

broadcasting a third list of the data type and capabilities of same or different one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) wherein said data types being asset type and/or model number and/or OS type and/or power supply and/or battery supply and/or duty cycle parameters of wake up versus sleep mode duration and/or enabled or disabled asset functionality and/or location data and/or service history and/or location history and/or performance optimisation and/or security lock-down features and of said commands and said parameters information wherein said parameters information being about corresponding services, maintenance, operating modes and emergency procedures, and

testing each of said fixed or mobile assets (120) each responding by an acknowledgement signal to said programmable wireless modules (10) to which each of said fixed or mobile assets (120) is linked which report it to said local or remote system server service administrator, wherein said received and transmitted encrypted digital data are in the form of a data call or by GPRS or of one or concatenated short messages of the SMS sort or E-mails, and further

putting each of said programmable wireless modules (10) in one of a plurality of operating modes, wherein

In-between active operating modes said programmable wireless modules puts itself in a sleeping mode and awakes by a predetermined request from an administrator or periodically according to a programmed period or by a predetermined condition or alert or alarm condition from one of said fixed or mobile assets (120).

19. A method for managing a remote asset management system according to claim 18 wherein said step of programming each of said set or subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) further comprising the steps of;

said fixed or mobile local or remote system server service platform (150) sending encrypted digital data in the form of a data call or via GPRS or in the form of one or a plurality of concatenated short messages of the SMS sort or E-mails to said respective set or subsets of programmable wireless modules (10),

receiving by said programmable wireless module (10) said encrypted digital data comprising commands and requests for said fixed or mobile assets (120) and an encrypted security code, authenticating said received encrypted security code against authorised personnel or subscriber codes from said stored first list for granting access and/or control of all or a selected number of authorised asset appliances according to said privilege level, and

downloading said commands and corresponding parameters from said third list and said request to one or a plurality of said fixed or mobile assets (120) to which each of said programmable wireless modules (10) is wirelessly linked and/or wired, wherein said commands indicate a period to automatically transmit data and the actual fixed or mobile assets (120) configuration and the actual operating mode in order to implement said management application or personal security application requirements, and further

putting each of said one or a plurality of fixed or mobile assets (120) in one of a plurality of operating modes, and further

providing each service being technical or administrative or security or medical or to the subscribers with the unique status data they need and for archiving and processing said status data automatically in real time at one of said local or remote system server service platform (150).

20. A method for managing a remote asset management system according to claim 19 comprising the steps of;

periodically or when requested by a local or remote network administrator, polling said respective set or subsets of fixed or mobile assets (120) by said programmable wireless module (10) to which one or a plurality of said fixed or mobile assets (120) are attached for sending said status data and/or alarm condition history according to a request from said fixed or mobile local or remote system server service platform (150) wherein said status data information are formatted in XML to be directly workable into a dedicated spreadsheet documents and/or web pages (GPRS) for either technical diagnosis and/or maintenance planning and/or billing and/or balance sheet and/or schedule of assets and/or ordering goods and

said fixed or mobile assets (120) further sending to said programmable wireless module (10) to which they are linked either by means of a blue tooth or an infra red or an ultrasonic or sound or a wired connection, hardware status data through an analogue and/or a digital port (92) further connecting said programmable wireless module (10) to a remote asset interface module (110) communicating with one or a plurality of said fixed or mobile assets (120), via a wired or wireless connection for maintenance purposes, operational status data for administrative purpose, and alarms indicating an out of range condition in said actual operating mode,

automatically receiving by said programmable wireless module (10) said fixed or mobile assets (120), said requested or said periodically sent status data and/or alarm condition from said fixed or mobile assets (120) according to said command indicating the period for sending data or according to a command to define said alarm condition,

said programmable wireless module (10) further encrypting said digital data for appropriately sending said data via said standard radio communication protocol and/or via a LAN either via a web page or E-mail,

storing in a storage device and/or transmitting said encrypted digital data in the form of a data call or via GPRS or in the form of one or a plurality of concatenated short messages of the SMS sort or E-mail or web page (GPRS) to prioritised numbers and/or PC or IP addresses stored in said second list, to report formatted functional status data in real time either to said fixed and/or mobile local system server service platform for maintenance purposes and online following up of a controlled process, or to said remote system server service platform (150) for technical supervision and management purposes, and

reporting said alarm with priority when said alarm occurs or any fixed or mobile asset (120) hardware anomaly information requiring an intervention in real time to one or more numbers and/or PC or IP addresses from said second list and/or to said fixed or mobile local or remote system server service platform (150) in order to allow respective maintenance officer and/or security officer and/or administrator and/or subscribers to intervene appropriately.

21. A method for managing a remote asset management system according to claim 20 comprising the steps of;

positioning said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising means for positioning (40) and an antenna (50) for tracking the location of said associated mobile assets (120) located in a mobile object wherein said application consisting in real time fleet supervision and management, wherein said mobile objects being busses or trucks or taxis or ambulances or trans or aircraft'"'"'s or police vehicles,

reporting said location of said mobile object to a system server service platform (150) administrator wherein said location is indicated on a map on his computer screen and further stored in a hard disk for further treatment, and/or

reporting said location of said mobile object to an onboard computer wherein a programmable wireless module (10) is embedded, located in said mobile object for guidance purposes wherein said message being in the form of a MMS integrating said location on a map in the screen of said onboard computer.

22. A method for managing a remote asset management system according to claim 20 or 21 comprising the steps of;

establishing a voice connection by an authorised caller with said programmable wireless module (10) embedded in one of said mobile asset (120), receiving voice messages comprising a voice command and a voice code and recognising said voice commands and said voice code by means of a voice recognition software wherein said voice recognition software carrying out a voice recognition conversion either at said local or remote system server service platform (150) or at said mobile asset (120),

authenticating said received encrypted security code within said voice message against authorised codes from said stored first list for granting access and/or control of authorised asset appliances according to said privilege level, wherein said asset appliances are cellular telephone or PDA or rugged clothes tag or a medical appliance,

executing said voice command associated task comprising reading status and/or transmitting new operating data mode to said appliance, reporting back status data to in the form of data call or of one or concatenated short messages of the SMS sort or E-mail or web page to prioritised numbers and/or PC or IP addresses stored in said second list upon the bearer being either health data or/and location wherein said status data being supervision and/or diagnostic data and/or

allowing the bearer of said mobile asset (120) to vocally communicate with said caller for disabled or old people surveillance or sport persons surveillance in remote places or personnel surveillance purposes either said caller being part of a medical surveillance team or of a security surveillance team or of a rescue team and/or allowing only a two way voice data flow.

23. A remote asset management system comprising a fixed remote operator centre comprising a remote system server service platform (150), said remote asset management system further comprising a network of programmable wireless modules (10) communicating via a radio communication network, each of said programmable wireless modules (10) being linked to at least, one asset (120) to be remotely managed wherein programs, commands, parameters, and status data pass through said network of programmable wireless modules (10), each of said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising an identification module, a telecommunications chipset (20) comprising an antenna (30) to communicate via a mobile telecommunications infrastructure (400) said telecommunication chipset (20) further comprising means for communicating via a wireless telecommunication network, said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprises means (100) indicating the current mode of operation of said programmable wireless module (10), a data processing means (60) comprising a micro-controller and a software module, a FLASH memory and a memory module (70) and further comprising a power supply being supplied externally or via a battery (80), said remote asset management system being characterised in that:

said remote system server service platform (150) comprises a dedicated software for remotely programming said network of programmable wireless modules (10) via said radio communication network, with at least one remote asset management applications or personal security applications and for causing said programmable wireless modules (10) to pass data between at least one linked asset (120) for remotely configuring, testing, monitoring and controlling one or more linked fixed or mobile assets within said network of fixed or mobile assets (120), and

said remote system server service platform (150) further comprising means for servicing a plurality of subscribers for remotely managing a different set of assets (120) on behalf of each of said plurality of subscribers, and

said remote system server service platform (150) being further linked to at least one local system server service platforms comprising means for servicing part of said plurality of subscribers for remotely managing at least one of said sets of assets (120) on behalf of said remote system server service platform (150) further comprising the functionality of one of said programmable wireless modules (10) and a computer integrating the set of operating, planning and management functions modules.

24. A method for managing a remote asset management system comprising a fixed remote operator centre comprising a remote system server service platform (150), said remote asset management system further comprising a network of programmable wireless modules (10) communicating via a radio communication network, each of said programmable wireless modules (10) being linked to at least one assets (120) to be remotely managed wherein programs, commands, parameters, and status data pass through said network of programmable wireless modules (10), each of said programmable wireless modules (10) further comprising an identification module, a telecommunications chipset (20) comprising an antenna (30) to communicate via a mobile telecommunications infrastructure (400) said telecommunication chipset (20) further comprising means for communicating via a wireless telecommunication network, said programmable wireless modules (10) may further comprise means (100) indicating the current mode of operation of said programmable wireless module (10), a data processing means (60) comprising a micro-controller and a software module, a FLASH memory and a memory module (70) and further comprising a power supply being supplied externally or via a battery (80), said method of managing said remote asset management system being characterised by the steps of:

remotely programming by a remote system server service administrator said network of programmable wireless modules (10) at said remote system server service platform (150) via said radio communication network, with at least one remote asset management applications or personal security applications,

causing said programmable wireless modules (10) to pass the data between at least one of said linked assets (120) for configuring, testing, monitoring and controlling said network of assets (120), and

servicing by said remote system server service administrator a plurality of subscribers by remotely managing a different set of assets (120) on behalf of each of said plurality of subscribers, said remote system server service platform (150) being further linked to at least one of local system server service platform,

servicing by a local system server service administrator at said local system server service platform part of said plurality of subscribers for remotely managing at least one of said sets of assets (120) on behalf of said remote system server service platform (150) further comprising one of said programmable wireless module (10) and a computer integrating operating, planning and management functions modules,

each of said at least one local system server service platforms further communicating to said remote system server service platform (150) via said radio communication network.