Method And Apparatus For Establishing Meshed GPS Network

• US 20120112959A1
• Filed: 11/05/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globaltrak LLC (ORBCOMM Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: System Planning Corporation
• Inventors: Richard, Meyers
• Granted Patent: US 9,274,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining real time location of assets by calculating the relative position of a plurality of GPS enabled devices transported together, taking advantage of multiple GPS enable devices being transported together including dual band GPS and averaging location data between US and European GPS data. Additionally, an IMB acts to receive GPS data from multiple devices in a shipment and IMB combines and averages data from both GPS systems to create more liable location determination.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining the location of a plurality of monitored elements, wherein the apparatus is configured to query at least one monitored element, collect a response from the monitored element and determine the location of the monitored element based on the time-distance relationship and acquired location information collected from at least one GPS receiver linked to a monitored element, the apparatus comprising:

a microcontroller unit, a wireless radio transceiver, a GPS receiver, and a RFID reader.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a range finder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is used within a closed container, and further wherein the apparatus determines the interior dimensions of the closed container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit a first RF signal from a first location, and a second RF signal from second location such that the apparatus is able to determine the relative location of at least one monitored element.

5. A method for determining the relative location of monitored elements within a closed container, the method comprising:

determining the dimensions of the closed container;

querying a plurality of monitored elements;

collecting responses from one or more monitored elements; and

determining the relative location of a monitored element based on the response time for the monitored element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises mapping the location of each asset based on the time of response to the query.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises transmitting location data for at least one monitored element to a remote location.

8. A method for enhanced communications among GPS enabled devices, the method comprising:

receiving a first GPS signal from a first satellite to determine a first location reading;

transmitting an RF signal to locate other GPS enable devices within a given area;

receiving a return RF signal from one or more GPS enabled devices;

requesting location data from one or more GPS enabled devices;

comparing received location data;

combining location data from one or more GPS enabled devices to determine a second location reading; and

transmitting the second location reading to one or more GPS enabled devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one GPS enabled device obtains location data from a source different from at least one other GPS enabled device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the GPS enabled devices obtains location data from the Standard U.S. Satellite.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the GPS enabled devices obtains location data from the European Galileo Satellite.

12. An apparatus for enhanced communications among GPS enabled devices, the method comprising:

a receiving element for receiving a first GPS signal from a first satellite to determine a first location reading;

a transmitting element for transmitting an RF signal to locate other GPS enable devices within a given area;

a receiving element for receiving a return RF signal from one or more GPS enabled devices;

a control element for requesting location data from one or more GPS enabled devices;

a processing element for comparing received location data and combining location data from one or more GPS enabled devices to determine a second location reading; and

a transmitting element for transmitting the second location reading to one or more GPS enabled devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one GPS enabled device obtains location data from a source different from at least one other GPS enabled device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein at least one of the GPS enabled devices obtains location data from the Standard U.S. Satellite.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the GPS enabled devices obtains location data from the European Galileo Satellite.