System and Method for Defining Areas of Interest and Modifying Asset Monitoring in Relation Thereto

• US 20090009321A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: McClellan, Scott, Follmer, Todd, Capps, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,999,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

System and method for tracking assets comprises determining if an asset is inside a geofence area, using a first set of asset monitoring parameters to monitor operation of the asset, if the asset is inside the geofence area, and using a second set of asset monitoring parameters to monitor operation of the asset, if the asset is outside the geofence area. The invention further comprises a system and method for providing one or more competitors with an asset tracking device, wherein the asset tracking device allows each competitor'"'"'s location to be monitored, defining one or more geofence areas on a racetrack, and detecting when the competitors enter a designated geofence area.

Claims

1. A method for tracking assets, comprising:

determining if an asset is inside a predefined zone;

using a first set of asset monitoring parameters to monitor operation of the asset, if the asset is inside the predefined zone; and

using a second set of asset monitoring parameters to monitor operation of the asset, if the asset is outside the predefined zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset is a vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operation of the vehicle is monitored using a vehicle monitoring system that provides mentoring feedback to a driver.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is monitored using a vehicle monitoring system capable of detecting the vehicle'"'"'s speed, and

wherein the vehicle monitoring system uses a first set of speed parameters, if the vehicle is inside the defined zone;

and the vehicle monitoring system uses a second set of speed parameters, if the vehicle is outside the defined zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second sets of speed parameters are used to provide feedback to the driver upon detection of a speeding condition.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first and second sets of speed parameters are used to trigger messages to a supervisor or parent upon detection of a speeding condition.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is monitored using a vehicle monitoring system capable of detecting acceleration forces acting on the vehicle, and

wherein the vehicle monitoring system uses a first set of acceleration parameters, if the vehicle is inside the defined zone;

and the vehicle monitoring system uses a second set of acceleration parameters, if the vehicle is outside the defined zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of acceleration parameters are used to provide feedback to the driver based upon vehicle acceleration measurements.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of acceleration parameters are used to trigger messages to a supervisor or parent based upon vehicle acceleration measurements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined has a multi-sided shape defined by a geographic region.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined has a circular shape defined by a radius around a selected point.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining the defined zone by drawing an irregular polygon, wherein the irregular polygon is drawn by sequentially designating locations of vertices of the irregular polygon.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the irregular polygon is drawn over a map and the locations of the vertices are selected from points on the map.

14. A method of tracking events in a race, comprising:

providing one or more competitors with an asset tracking device, wherein the asset tracking device allows each competitor'"'"'s location to be monitored;

defining one or more geofence areas on a racetrack; and

detecting when the competitors enter a designated geofence area.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting when the competitors leave the designated geofence area.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of detecting when the competitors enter the designated geofence area is performed without regard to whether the competitors stop in or pass through the designated geofence area.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the designated geofence area is a finish line.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

counting a number of times each competitor enters the designated geofence area.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the designated geofence area is a pit area.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the competitors are motor-powered vehicles.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the competitors are human-powered vehicles.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the competitors are electro-mechanical devices.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the competitors are selected from the group consisting of:

bicycles, cars, trucks, planes, boats, trains, or robots.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the competitors are animals.

25. A method of determining if non-competitors are clear of a racetrack, comprising:

providing one or more non-competitors with an asset tracking device, wherein the asset tracking device allows each non-competitor'"'"'s location to be monitored;

defining one or more geofence areas off of the racetrack; and

detecting when the non-competitors are within one or more designated geofence areas off of the racetrack.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

detecting when the non-competitors leave the one or more designated geofence areas.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

detecting when the non-competitors are stopped in the one or more designated geofence areas.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the one or more designated geofence areas are a safety zone.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining when all of the one or more non-competitors are within the designated geofence area.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

indicating that the racetrack is clear of non-competitors.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the non-competitors include emergency service vehicles.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the non-competitors include a pace car.