Method and Apparatus for Tracking and Monitoring Containers

• US 20090102659A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Mim, Reiner G., Zmrzli, Robert, Cargonja, Nikola, Nardelli, Albert, Brand, Timothy K., Evans, Allan M.
• Application Number:
  US12/236,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A tag has a sensor that can detect a condition in the region of the tag. The tag effects an operational adjustment relating to the sensor based on sensor configuration information in a received wireless signal. According to a different aspect, a tag can receive wireless signals containing positioning information, and wireless signals containing location information indicating with a first accuracy the current location of the tag. The further signals conform to one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol. The tag determines from the positioning information with a second accuracy greater than the first accuracy the current location of the tag, the tag being responsive to the location information for more rapidly effecting the determination with the second accuracy.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:

a first portion having a sensor that detects a selected condition in the region of said tag; and

a second portion cooperable with said first portion and having circuitry that can receive wireless signals, said second portion responding to receipt of a wireless signal containing sensor configuration information by effecting, in accord with the received sensor configuration information, an operational adjustment relating to said sensor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said sensor configuration information includes an indication of whether said sensor is to be enabled;

and

wherein said second portion implements said operational adjustment by causing said sensor to be one of enabled and disabled in accord with said indication in said sensor configuration information.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said sensor configuration information includes a threshold value;

and

wherein said second portion implements said operational adjustment by causing information from said sensor to be processed as a function of said threshold value.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said second portion includes a plurality of sensors that detect respective different conditions in the region of said tag, said plurality of sensors including said sensor that detects said selected condition;

and

wherein said second portion responds to receipt of the wireless signal containing the sensor configuration information by effecting, in accord with the received sensor configuration information, operational adjustments relating to at least two of said sensors.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wireless signals received by said second portion conform to one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wireless signals conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, and said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wireless signals conform to said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wireless signals conform to said radio frequency identification communication protocol, and are ultra high frequency (UHF) wireless signals.

9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein wireless signals conform to said radio frequency identification communication protocol, and are low frequency (LF) near-field wireless signals.

10. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, comprising:

detecting with a sensor in said first portion a selected condition in the region of said tag;

receiving wireless signals in said second portion; and

responding to receipt by said second portion of a wireless signal containing sensor configuration information by effecting, in accord with the received sensor configuration information, an operational adjustment relating to said sensor.

11. A method according to claim 10, including:

configuring said sensor configuration information to include an indication of whether said sensor is to be enabled; and

causing said second portion to implement said operational adjustment by causing said sensor to be one of enabled and disabled in accord with said indication in said sensor configuration information.

12. A method according to claim 10, including:

configuring said sensor configuration information to include a threshold value; and

causing said second portion to implement said operational adjustment by processing information from said sensor as a function of said threshold value.

13. A method according to claim 10,

including configuring said second portion to have a plurality of sensors that detect respective different conditions in the region of said tag, said plurality of sensors including said sensor that detects said selected condition;

and

wherein said responding includes effecting, in accord with the received sensor configuration information, operational adjustments relating to at least two of said sensors.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein said receiving of wireless signals in said second portion is carried out in a manner conforming to one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said receiving of wireless signals in said second portion is carried out in conformity with said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said receiving of wireless signals in said second portion is carried out in conformity with said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein said receiving of wireless signals in said second portion is carried out in conformity with said radio frequency identification communication protocol, said wireless signals being ultra high frequency (UHF) wireless signals.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said receiving of wireless signals in said second portion is carried out in conformity with said radio frequency identification communication protocol, said wireless signals being low frequency (LF) near-field wireless signals.

19. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:

a first portion capable of receiving wireless signals that contain positioning information;

a second portion capable of receiving wireless signals that contain location information indicating with a first accuracy the current position of said tag on the surface of the earth, and that conform to one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol; and

a third portion that can determine from said positioning information with a second accuracy the current position of said tag on the surface of the earth, said second accuracy being greater than said first accuracy, and said third portion being responsive to said location information for more rapidly effecting said determination with said second accuracy.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said wireless signals received by said first portion conform to the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said wireless signals received by said second portion conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

22. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said wireless signals received by said second portion conform to said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

23. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, said method comprising:

receiving in said first portion wireless signals that contain positioning information;

receiving in said second portion wireless signals that contain location information indicating with a first accuracy the current position of said tag on the surface of the earth, and that conform to one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol; and

determining from said positioning information with a second accuracy the current position of said tag on the surface of the earth, said second accuracy being greater than said first accuracy, and using said location information to carry out said determining more rapidly.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said receiving of said wireless signals by said first portion includes receiving wireless signals that conform to the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said receiving of said wireless signals by said second portion includes receiving wireless signals that conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein said receiving of said wireless signals by said second portion includes receiving wireless signals that conform to said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.