System and method for remote asset management

• US 20060122925A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 06/08/2006
• 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 7,558,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• 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 remote asset management system comprising a network of programmable wireless modules, each having an antenna and an identification module and configured to communicate via a radio communication protocol. The system further includes a plurality of assets each linked to one of the programmable wireless modules and configured to be managed by the linked programmable wireless module. A remote system server service platform is configured to receive remote asset data from at least one of the programmable wireless modules, pass the remote asset data to and from the wireless modules, send messages to at least one of the programmable wireless modules, monitor the programmable wireless modules by requesting and receiving current mode information, and remotely program the programmable wireless modules. A data processing module located within the at least one programmable wireless module and configured to process messages received by the programmable wireless module, authenticate said message, analyze authenticated messages, and carry out asset management instructions included in the message.

Claims

1. A remote asset management system comprising:

a network of programmable wireless modules, each having an antenna and an identification module and configured to communicate via a radio communication protocol;

a plurality of assets each linked to one of the programmable wireless modules and configured to be managed by the linked programmable wireless module;

a remote system server service platform configured to receive remote asset data from at least one of the programmable wireless modules, pass the remote asset data to and from the wireless modules, send messages to at least one of the programmable wireless modules, monitor the programmable wireless modules by requesting and receiving current mode information, and remotely program the programmable wireless modules; and

a data processing module located within the at least one programmable wireless module and configured to process messages received by the programmable wireless module, authenticate whether said message was sent by a permitted server service platform, analyze authenticated messages, and carry out asset management instructions included in the message.

2. The remote asset management system of claim 1 wherein each programmable wireless module further includes an indicator configured to represent the current status of operation.

3. The remote asset management system of claim 1 wherein the remote system server service platform further includes program code for remotely initiating at least one of said programmable wireless modules by sending to said identification module of each said programmable wireless modules a unique encrypted code to allow said remote system server service platform to put each of said programmable wireless modules in a programming mode.

4. The remote asset management system of claim 1 the system further comprising:

a memory module for storing permitted caller data for use by the data processing module in authenticating whether said message was sent by a permitted server service platform.

5. A method of remote asset management, the steps comprising:

transmitting data from a remote asset to a wireless programmable module, linked to the remote asset;

sending the remote asset data from the wireless programmable module to a remote system server service platform;

generating a message containing additional data and asset management instructions in the remote system service platform, in response to the received data;

sending said message and asset management instructions to the programmable wireless module;

processing said message and asset management instructions in a data processing module located within the programmable wireless module;

authenticating whether said message and asset management instructions was sent by a permitted server service platform;

analyzing said message and asset management instructions;

carrying out said asset management instructions; and

programming at least one programmable wireless module in response to said processed, authenticated and analyzed message and asset management instructions.