Asset Monitoring Using Micropower Impulse Radar

• US 20110095940A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/00 Sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01526 using piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01538 for image processing, e.g. cameras or sensor arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 : detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 : using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01548 : sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 : detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 : Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 : Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/255 : Eye recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/257 : Voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/433 : using reflection from the obstruction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/542 : Roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 : Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/20 : by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2962 : Measuring transit time of reflected waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 : containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 : Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 : Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 : Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 : Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/42 : Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 : Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 : Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/417 : involving the use of neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 : Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 : Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 : using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 : Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 : inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 : Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 : Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 : the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 : with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/187 : by interference of a radiation field
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 : EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 : Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 : due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1282 : Automobiles
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3219 : Geometry of the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 : mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body

Abstract

Arrangement and method for monitoring inanimate objects in an interior thereof includes a sensor system arranged to obtain data about the object by applying micropower impulse radar (MIR) transmissions into the interior of the asset, i.e., container volume monitoring using MIR, a location determining system arranged on the asset to monitor the location of the asset, and a communication system arranged on the asset and coupled to the sensor system and the location determining system. The communication system transmits the data about each object obtained by the sensor system and the location of the asset provided by the location determining system to one or more remote facilities, these remote facilities being those interested in the information about the objects in the asset being monitored.

Claims

1. An asset including an arrangement for monitoring an interior of the asset, comprising:

a sensor system arranged on the asset and applying micropower impulse radar (MIR) to obtain data about at least one object in the interior;

a location determining system arranged on the asset, said location determining system being arranged to monitor the location of the asset; and

a communication system arranged on the asset and coupled to said sensor system and said location determining system, said communication system being arranged to transmit the data about the at least one object obtained by said sensor system and the location of the asset provided by said location determining system to a remote facility.

2. The asset of claim 1, wherein said sensor system comprises a plurality of MIR transmitters and a plurality of MIR receivers arranged at different locations around the asset such that the radar pulses transmitted by said MIR transmitters are transmitted into the interior.

3. The asset of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pairs of associated MIR transmitters and MIR receivers arranged at different locations around the asset such that the radar pulses transmitted by said MIR transmitters are transmitted into the interior.

4. The asset of claim 1, further comprising

a door;

and

a door status sensor arranged to detect when said door is closed, said sensor system being coupled to said door status sensor and arranged to obtain data about the at least one object only when said door status sensor detects when said door is closed after having been opened.

5. The asset of claim 1, further comprising

at least one light-detecting sensor arranged to detect any change in light in the proximity of the at least one object, said sensor system being coupled to said at least one light-detecting sensor and arranged to obtain data about the at least one object only when a change in light is detected by said at least one light-detecting sensor.

7. The asset of claim 1, wherein said sensor system is arranged to detect motion of the at least one object within the interior of the asset relative to the asset.

8. The asset of claim 1, further comprising a wakeup sensor system for detecting the occurrence of an internal or external event relating to the condition or location of the asset, said communication system being coupled to said wakeup sensor system and being arranged to transmit a signal relating to the detected occurrence of an internal or external event.

9. The asset of claim 1, further comprising a memory unit for storing data relating to the location of the asset and objects in the interior of the asset.

10. The asset of claim 1, wherein said sensor system utilizes a trained pattern recognition technique to process data.

11. A method for monitoring an interior of the asset, comprising:

arranging at least one micropower impulse radar (MIR) transmitter on the asset;

transmitting MIR pulses from the MIR transmitter into the interior of the asset;

arranging at least one MIR receiver to receive MIR pulses from the interior of the asset which have been reflected by at least one object in the interior of the asset;

processing the received MIR pulses into data about the at least one object;

monitoring the location of the asset using a location determining system arranged at least partly on the asset;

arranging a communication system on the asset; and

transmit the data about the at least one object and the location of the asset to a remote facility using the communication system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one MIR transmitter comprises a plurality of MIR transmitters and the at least one MIR receiver comprises a plurality of MIR receivers arranged at different locations around the asset.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising associating each of the MIR transmitters with a single one of the MIR receivers.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting when a door to the asset is closed; and

initiating the at least one MIR transmitter to transmit MIR pulses into the interior of the asset in order to enable data about the at least one object to be obtained only when closure of the door from an open state is detected.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising

detecting any change in light in the proximity of the at least one object;

initiating the at least one MIR transmitter to transmit MIR pulses into the interior of the asset in order to enable data about the at least one object to be obtained only when a change in light is detected.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting the occurrence of an internal or external event relating to the condition or location of the asset; and

transmit a signal relating to the detected occurrence of an internal or external event via the communication system.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing data relating to the location of the asset and objects in the interior of the asset.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of processing the received MIR pulses into data about the at least one object comprises utilizing a trained pattern recognition technique to process the received MIR pulses.