System and method for asset tracking

• US 20080252431A1
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Nigam, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 7,768,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A system and method for asset tracking utilizing a wireless device. An asset such as a vehicle can be equipped with a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor and an accelerometer in association with a remote control hardware component capable of responding to SMS (Short Message Service) command transmitted from the wireless device. As soon as the theft of the asset is detected, a “Theft in progress” SMS data can be transmitted from the wireless device to the remote device attached to the asset. The device then queries the geomagnetic sensor and the accelerometer at a pre-defined rate and transmits the X-Y-Z coordinates and acceleration values to the cell phone/computer via SMS at regular intervals. The device can also log the route of vehicle in a non-volatile memory which can be queried utilizing a “Request History” command.

Claims

1. A method for asset tracking, comprising:

transmitting textual data from a user terminal to a tracking device in response to detecting a theft of an asset, wherein said textual data indicates that said theft of said asset is in progress

respectively compiling coordinate data and acceleration data associated with said asset from a geomagnetic sensor and an accelerometer associated with said asset, in response to receiving said textual data by said tracking device; and

thereafter utilizing said coordinate data and said acceleration data to provide for the location identification and eventual recovery of said asset.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recording a route of said vehicle in a memory;

querying a history of said route from said memory using a particular command; and

assisting in a recovery of said vehicle utilizing said history of said route, and said coordinate data and said acceleration data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein respectively compiling said coordinate data and said acceleration data associated with said asset, further comprises:

respectively querying said geomagnetic sensor and said accelerometer for said coordinate data and said acceleration data of said asset at a pre-determined rate;

transmitting said coordinate data and said acceleration data of said asset to said user terminal at regular intervals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said asset comprises a vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said textual data comprises SMS (Short Message Service) data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a mobile phone, PDA or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a computer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said geomagnetic sensor and said accelerometer together comprise a combinational sensor comprise said geomagnetic sensor and said accelerometer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said geomagnetic sensor comprises a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor and said coordinate data comprises X-Y-Z coordinate data.

10. The method of claim 2 where in said memory comprises a non-volatile memory associated with a data-processing apparatus.

11. A method for asset tracking, comprising:

transmitting textual data from a user terminal to a tracking device in response to detecting a theft of an asset, wherein said textual data indicates that said theft of said asset is in progress;

respectively compiling coordinate data and acceleration data associated with said asset from a geomagnetic sensor and an accelerometer associated with said asset, in response to receiving said textual data by said tracking device;

recording a route of said asset in a memory;

querying a history of said route from said memory using a particular command; and

assisting in a recovery of said asset utilizing said history of said route, and said coordinate data and said acceleration data.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a memory for recording a route of said asset, wherein said history or said route is queried from said memory utilizing a particular command in order to assist a recovery of said asset utilizing said history of said route, said coordinate data and said acceleration data.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein:

said geomagnetic sensor and said accelerometer are queried for said coordinate data and said acceleration data of said asset at a pre-determined rate; and

said coordinate data and said acceleration data of said asset are transmitted to said user terminal at regular intervals.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said asset comprises a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein said textual data comprises SMS (Short Message Service) data.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein said user terminal comprises a mobile phone.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein said user terminal comprises a computer.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising a combinational sensor comprising said geomagnetic sensor and said accelerometer.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein said geomagnetic sensor comprises a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor and said coordinate data comprises X-Y-Z coordinate data.

12. A system for asset tracking, comprising:

a user terminal and a tracking device, wherein textual data is transmitted from said user terminal to said tracking device in response to detecting a theft of an asset, such that said textual data indicates that said theft of said asset is in progress; and

a geomagnetic sensor and an accelerometer associated with said asset, wherein said geomagnetic sensor said accelerometer respectively compile coordinate data and acceleration data associated with said asset, in response to receiving said textual data by said tracking device, such that said coordinate data and said acceleration data are thereafter utilized to provide for the location identification and eventual recovery of said asset.