Wireless asset monitoring and security system using user identification tags

• US 20080042800A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Mooney, Daniel Puzio, Fred Watts, James Watson, Lawrence Milburn, Robert Bradus, William Pugh
• Original Assignee: Charles Mooney, Daniel Puzio, Fred Watts, James Watson, Lawrence Milburn, Robert Bradus, William Pugh
• Inventors: Watson, James, Puzio, Daniel, Bradus, Robert, Pugh, William, Mooney, Charles, Milburn, Lawrence, Watts, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 7,649,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

An asset monitoring and security system includes at least one asset and at least one user identification device assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link. A data store maintains lists of the assets, users authorized to use the assets, and privileges associated with the assets for each of the authorized users. A control unit is adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and user identification devices and monitor positions of the assets and user identification devices within a defined area based on the identification signals. The control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given authorized user for a given asset are exceeded. Each of the assets includes a lock-out mechanism that impedes use of the asset when the lock-out mechanism is activated.

Claims

1. An asset monitoring and security system, comprising:

at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;

at least one user identification device assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link;

a data store for maintaining a list of the assets, a list of users authorized to use the assets, and privileges associated with the assets for each of the authorized users; and

a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and user identification devices and determines positions of the assets and user identification devices within a defined area based on the identification signals from the assets and user identification devices, wherein the control unit associates a given asset with a given user when a distance between the given asset and the given user is less than a defined threshold and updates the data store with the associate between the given asset and the given user and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given authorized user for a given asset are exceeded.

2. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein a privilege associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset limits authorized users to possession of the asset within the defined area and wherein the control unit initiates the alarm event when the asset is located outside of the defined area.

3. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein a privilege associated with an asset for a given authorized user limits the authorized user to possession of the asset within the defined area and wherein the control unit initiates the alarm event when the given authorized user possesses the asset outside of the defined area.

4. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the control unit generates a departure time for an asset when the asset moves from within the defined area to outside of the defined area and wherein the control unit stores the departure time in the data store.

5. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the control unit generates a return time for an asset when the asset moves from outside of the defined area to within the defined area and wherein the control unit stores the return time in the data store.

7. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the user identification device includes an alarm indicator and wherein the control unit activates the alarm indicator when a distance between the user identification device and the asset associated with the user identification device is greater than a second predetermined distance.

8. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the control unit activates at least one of an audible indicator and/or a visible indicator at least one of during and/or after the alarm event.

9. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the control unit includes a wireless transmitter operable to transmit an alarm message to a remote monitoring system at least one of during and/or after the alarm event.

10. The asset monitoring and security system of claim 1 further comprises a camera that communicates with the control unit and that captures an image of an asset at an exit point of the defined area when the asset one of moves from within the defined area to outside of the defined area or moves from outside of the defined area to within the defined area.

6. (canceled)

11-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for operating an asset monitoring and security system, comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to at least one asset;

transmitting an identification signal embodying the identifier of the asset over a wireless communications link;

assigning a unique identifier to at least one user identification device;

transmitting an identification signal embodying the identifier of the user identification device over a wireless communications link;

maintaining a list of the assets, a list of users authorized to use the assets, and privileges associated with the assets for each of the authorized users;

receiving the identification signals from the assets and user identification devices;

monitoring positions of the assets and user identification devices within a defined area based on the identification signals from the assets and user identification devices;

determining a distance between a given asset and a given user based on the identification signals from the assets and user identification devices; and

associating the given asset with the given user when the distance between the given asset and the given user is within a predetermined distance.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprises initiating an alarm event when privileges associated with a given authorized user for a given asset are exceeded.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprises initiating the alarm event when the asset is located outside of the defined area when a privilege associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset limits authorized users to possession of the asset within the defined area.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprises activating an alarm indicator that is included in a user identification device when a distance between the user identification device and an asset associated with the user identification device is greater than a second predetermined distance.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprises activating at least one of an audible indicator and/or a visible indicator at least one of during and/or after the alarm event.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprises transmitting an alarm message to a remote monitoring system at least one of during and/or after the alarm event.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein the assets are power tools and the defined area is an industrial job site location.

33. A method for operating an asset monitoring and security system, comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to at least one asset;

transmitting an identification signal embodying the identifier of the asset over a wireless communications link;

assigning a unique identifier to at least one user identification device;

transmitting an identification signal embodying the identifier of the user identification device over a wireless communications link;

maintaining a list of the assets, a list of users authorized to use the assets, and privileges associated with the assets for each of the authorized users;

receiving the identification signals from the assets and user identification devices;

determining positions of the assets and user identification devices within a defined area based on the identification signals from the assets and user identification devices;

associating a given asset with a given user when a user identification device of the user is within a first predetermined distance of the asset; and

initiating an alarm event when a user identification device of a user authorized to use the asset is outside a second predetermined distance of the asset which is different than the first predetermined distance.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprises initiating the alarm event when the asset is located outside of the defined area when a privilege associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset limits authorized users to possession of the asset within the defined area.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprises activating an alarm indicator that is included in the user identification device when a distance between the user identification device and the asset associated with the user identification device is greater than a third predetermined distance.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprises activating at least one of an audible indicator and/or a visible indicator at least one of during and/or after the alarm event.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprises transmitting an alarm message to a remote monitoring system at least one of during and/or after the alarm event.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the assets are power tools and the defined area is an industrial job site location.

39-44. -44. (canceled)