SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING COMMUNICATION OF A MOVEABLE ENTITY FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION

• US 20110034144A1
• Filed: 11/27/2008
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Kankan, Yang, Gang, He, Bin
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/343.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for managing communication of a movable entity is provided. The system comprises a chargeable power source, at least one sensor unit which is connected with the movable entity, and a global positioning device which is powered by the chargeable power source and is connected with the movable entity, wherein the global positioning device is used to track moveable entity status in response to sensor data received from said at least one sensor unit, the global positioning device is configured to execute a power saving mode based on moveable entity status information. The system and method save electric energy consumption of a battery fro the GPS device by the mode switching between a sleep mode and a work mode, and judgment on the predetermined event provided may help to prevent the machine from being stolen.

Claims

1. A system for managing communication of a moveable entity, the system comprising:

a rechargeable power source;

at least one sensor unit attached to the moveable entity; and

a global positioning device powered by said power source and attached to the moveable entity and being structured and arranged to track moveable entity status in response to sensor data received from said at least one sensor unit;

wherein said global positioning device being configured to execute a power saving mode based on moveable entity status information.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 further including a communication unit to initiate a communication between said moveable entity and a remote controller system.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power saving mode being configured to switch said global positioning device between a sleep mode and a work mode based on said moveable entity status information.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said sensor unit is a motion sensor for detecting said moveable entity movement.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sensor unit is a sensor of a power system of said moveable entity.

6. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said global positing device further being configured to determine a predetermined event happens if said moveable entity is activated from sleep mode.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined event may be an illegal relocating.

8. The system claimed in claim 7, wherein said illegal relocating is indicated by the detection of signals from said motion sensor and the absence of signal from said engine sensor.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined event may be the power storage of said rechargeable power resource reaches a pre-set low level.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said predetermined event may be a pre-set time point of a required communication hits.

11. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said communication unit being configured to upload data to a remote controller system when said predetermined event happens.

12. A method for managing communication of a moveable entity, the method comprising:

checking on the entity engine sensor signal if the moveable entity is powered off;

switching the global positioning device from work mode to sleep mode;

detecting signal from other members of the entity;

determining if a predetermined event happens; and

communicating with a remote controller system if a predetermined event happens.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 further includes activating the global positioning device if engine sensor signal is received.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 further includes activating the global positioning device if a motion sensor signal is received.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the predetermined event includes illegally relocating the entity.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the illegal relocating is indicated by the detection of signals from the motion sensor and the absence of signal from the engine sensor.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pre-determined event includes the power storage of the power source of the global positioning device reaches a pre-set low level.

18. The method as claimed in claim 12 further includes communicating to a remote controller system to upload data when the global positioning device is activated at a required reporting time.