Method and Apparatus for Tracking and Monitoring Containers
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:
- a first portion having mutually exclusive first and second operational modes, said first portion consuming substantially less power in said second operational mode than in said first operational mode, said first portion including circuitry that, in said first operational mode, is capable of wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol;
a second portion that detects a selected condition in the region of said tag; and
a third portion that selectively operates said first portion in said first and second operational modes as a function of information from said second portion regarding said selected condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tag detects a condition, and selectively operates a portion of its circuitry in first and second modes as a function of information regarding the selected condition, the portion consuming less power in the second mode than the first mode, and being capable of wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol. According to a different aspect, a tag carries out geofencing analysis, and selectively operates a portion of its circuitry in first and second modes as a function of results of the geofencing analysis, the portion consuming less power in the second mode than in the first mode, and being capable of wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:
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a first portion having mutually exclusive first and second operational modes, said first portion consuming substantially less power in said second operational mode than in said first operational mode, said first portion including circuitry that, in said first operational mode, is capable of wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol; a second portion that detects a selected condition in the region of said tag; and a third portion that selectively operates said first portion in said first and second operational modes as a function of information from said second portion regarding said selected condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, said first portion having first and second operational modes that are mutually exclusive, and said first portion consuming substantially less power during said second operational mode than during said first operational mode, said method comprising:
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using said first portion during said first operational mode for wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol; detecting with said second portion a selected condition in the region of said tag; and selectively operating said first portion in said first and second operational modes as a function of information from said second portion regarding said selected condition. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:
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a first portion having mutually exclusive first and second operational modes, said first portion consuming substantially less power in said second operational mode than in said first operational mode, said first portion including circuitry that, in said first operational mode, is capable of wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol; and a second portion that carries out geofencing analysis, and that selectively operates said first portion in said first and second operational modes as a function of results from said geofencing analysis. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, said first portion having mutually exclusive first and second operational modes, comprising:
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using said first portion during said first operational mode for wireless communication according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol; carrying out in said second portion a geofencing analysis; and selectively operating said first portion in said first and second operational modes as a function of results from said geofencing analysis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification