Method and system for lease of assets, such as trailers, storage devices and facilities

• US 20070143207A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Breen, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A method and system of providing for the rapid availability of assets to customers wherein a lease method and system is provided which includes lease terms, a leasable asset with a unique identifier, associating the lease terms with the asset through the unique identifier, at least one sensor on the asset for detecting the status of at least one condition that starts a lease, a communications system for transmitting information from the sensors on the asset to a central management system, determining the amount due based on the status of the sensors and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier, and preparing an invoice based on the amount due determined.

Claims

1. A method for the automated lease of geographically distributed assets, the method comprising:

establishing lease terms governing the leasing of the asset, including

duration of the lease,

lease rate terms, and

at least one condition that starts the lease;

making available at least one asset to be leased, wherein the asset has a unique identifier;

associating the lease terms governing the leasing of the asset with the unique identifier for the asset;

monitoring the status of at least one condition that starts the lease with at lease one sensor;

transmitting to a management system via a communications system the status of at least one condition that starts the lease and the unique identifier of the asset;

determining whether at least one condition that starts the lease has occurred based upon the status of the condition that starts the lease, the unique identifier of the asset, and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier of the asset;

determining the amount due based upon the terms of the lease associated with the asset through the unique identifier if the lease has started; and

preparing an invoice using the determined amount due if the lease has started.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is the geographic location of the asset at a predetermined location or within a predetermined area and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a locating sensor that determines the current geographic location of the asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is the opening of a door on the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a door switch that senses the position of a door on the asset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is the use of electricity on the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a current sensor that senses the use of electricity on the asset.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is the movement of the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a motion sensor that senses the movement of the asset.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is a change in temperature of the asset indicative of use of the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a thermometer that senses the temperature of the asset.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is the use of a refrigeration system on the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a sensor that senses the use of the refrigeration system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition that starts the lease is the presence of materials within the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a contents sensor that senses the presence of materials within the asset.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein establishing lease terms governing the leasing of the asset further includes establishing at least one condition that affects the lease rate;

further including;

monitoring the status of at least one condition affecting the lease rate with at least one sensor;

transmitting the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate;

determining whether at least one condition that affects the lease rate has occurred based upon the status of the condition that affects the lease rate, the unique identifier of the asset, and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier of the asset; and

wherein determining the amount due is also based on the status of the at least one condition affecting the lease rate if the condition that affects the lease rate has occurred.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one condition that affects the lease rate is the geographic location of the asset at a predetermined location or within a predetermined area and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that starts the lease is a locating device that determines the current geographic location of the asset.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one condition that affects the lease rate is the opening of a door on the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate is a door switch that senses the position of a door on the asset.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one condition that affects the lease rate is the use of electricity on the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate is a current sensor that senses the use of electricity on the asset.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one condition that affects the lease rate is the movement of the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate is a motion sensor that senses the movement of the asset.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one condition that affects the lease rate is the change in temperature of the asset indicative of use of the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate is a thermometer that senses the temperature of the asset.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one condition that affects the lease rate is the use of the refrigeration system on the asset, and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate is a switch that senses the use of the refrigeration system.

17. The method of claim 1,

wherein establishing lease terms governing the leasing of the asset further includes establishing at least one condition that ends the lease;

further including;

monitoring the status of at least one condition that ends the lease with at least one sensor;

transmitting the status of at least one condition that ends the lease;

determining whether at least one condition that ends the lease has occurred based upon the status of the condition that ends the lease, the unique identifier of the asset, and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier of the asset; and

wherein determining the amount due is also based on the status of the at least one condition that ends the lease if the condition that ends the lease has occurred.

18. The method claim 17, wherein the condition that ends the lease is the location of the at least one asset at a predetermined location or within a predetermined area and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that ends the lease is a locating device that determines the current location of the asset.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the condition that ends the lease is the use of a security card to access a secure storage yard to which the at least one asset is being returned and wherein the at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition that ends the lease is a security card reader.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein making available at least one asset to be leased comprises making available at least one asset in a secure storage yard having a security card reader that is connected to the management system, wherein the use of an appropriate security card with the security card reader is transmitted to the management system, wherein said management system allows access to the at least one asset upon use of an appropriate security card.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one asset in the secure storage yard is electronically immobilized, and wherein the management system causes the immobilization to be removed from the asset upon use of the appropriate security card.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the use of the appropriate security card with the security card reader is a condition that starts the lease, wherein said security card reader is the sensor that senses at least one condition that starts the lease.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein establishing lease terms governing the leasing of the asset further includes establishing at least one condition that affects the lease rate and establishing one condition that ends the lease;

further including;

monitoring the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate with at least one sensor;

monitoring the status of at least one condition that ends the lease with at least one sensor;

transmitting the status of at least one condition that affects the lease rate and the status of at least one condition that ends the lease;

determining whether at least one condition that affects the lease rate has occurred based upon the status of the condition that affects the lease rate, the unique identifier of the asset, and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier of the asset;

determining whether at least one condition that ends the lease has occurred based upon the status of the condition that ends the lease, the unique identifier of the asset, and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier of the asset; and

wherein determining the amount due is also based on the status of the at least one condition that affects the lease rate if the condition that affects the lease rate has occurred and on the status of at least one condition that ends the lease if the condition that ends the lease has occurred.

24. A system for leasing assets, the system comprising:

at least one asset to be leased, wherein the asset has a unique identifier;

at least one sensor in the asset that senses the status of at least one condition that starts a lease;

a communications transmission system for transmitting to a management system the status of at least one condition that starts a lease and the unique identifier of the asset;

wherein the communications transmission system transmits to the management system the status of at least one condition that starts the lease and the unique identifier of the asset;

wherein the management system determines whether at least one condition that starts the lease has occurred based upon the status of the condition that starts the lease, the unique identifier of the asset, and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier of the asset;

wherein, if the lease has started, the management system determines the amount due using the terms of the lease associated with the asset through the unique identifier;

wherein an invoice is prepared using the calculated amount due if the lease has started.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising

at least one sensor that senses the status of at least one condition affecting the lease rate;

wherein the communications system also transmits the status of at least one condition affecting the lease rate;

wherein calculating the amount due further includes using the status of the at least one condition affecting the lease rate to calculate the amount due if the condition that affects the lease rate has occurred.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

A sensor for monitoring the status of at least one condition that ends the lease;

Wherein the communications systems also transmits the status of the one condition that ends the lease;

Wherein determining the amount due further includes using the status of at least one condition that ends the lease to determine the amount due if the condition that ends the lease has occurred.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising an interface to the management system which allows a lessee to view information concerning an asset being leased.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the interface to the management system also allows a lessee to pay invoices for an asset being leased.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising an interface to the management system which allows a lessee to view information concerning the availability of new assets for leasing.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the interface to the management system allows a lessee to select lease terms governing the lease of an asset and to select an asset for leasing.