Solar Powered Simplex Tracker

• US 20120201277A1
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Globalstar Incorporated
• Inventors: Tanner, Ronnie Daryl, Debus, Walter
• Application Number:
  US13/368,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20120201277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A asset group tracking system which includes a plurality of solar powered tracking devices on separate assets. Each of the tracking devices further includes: (i) a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver; (i) a transceiver; (iii) a processor controlling the GNSS receiver and transceiver; (iv) a rechargeable battery powering one or more of the GNSS receiver, the transceiver, or the processor; and (v) a solar power collector for charging the battery. In the system, a minority of the tracking devices further include a satellite transmitter.

Claims

1. A asset group tracking system comprising a plurality of solar powered tracking devices on separate assets, each of the tracking devices comprising:

a. a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver;

b. a transceiver;

c. a processor controlling the GNSS receiver and transceiver;

d. a rechargeable battery powering one or more of the GNSS receiver, the transceiver, or the processor; and

f. a solar power collector for charging the battery;

g. wherein a minority of the tracking devices further include a satellite transmitter.

2. The asset group tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is a terrestrial radio transceiver.

3. The asset group tracking system according to claim 2, wherein a majority of the tracking devices transmit via the transceiver their GNSS location to the tracking device having the satellite transmitter.

4. The asset group tracking system according to claim 2, wherein the tracking device having the satellite transmitter transmits only its own location and/or additional data such as temperature to a satellite network.

5. The asset group tracking system according to claim 3, wherein the tracking device having the satellite transmitter transmits the location and/or additional data such as temperature of other tracking devices which it has received via the radio transceiver.

6. The asset group tracking system according to claim 3, wherein the tracking device having the satellite transmitter only transmits the location of another tracking device if that tracking device is over a defined distance from the tracking device having the satellite transmitter.

7. The asset group tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the satellite transmitter is a simplex transmitter.

8. The asset group tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the system further includes a stationary relay device comprising an RF transceiver and a satellite transmitter.

9. The asset group tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the system further includes a mobile terrestrial receiver tracking terminal.

10. The asset group tracking system according to claim 8, wherein the stationary relay device receives asset identification data as assets come within range of its RF transmitter and the stationary relay device transmits the asset identification data to a satellite network.

11. The asset group tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the tracking device with the satellite transmitter delays satellite transmissions when battery power is below a threshold.

12. An animal tracking network comprising a plurality of animals, each animal having at least one tracking tag attached to it, wherein:

a. at least one satellite tracking tag comprises;

i. a GNSS receiver;

ii. a satellite transmitter;

iii. a terrestrial receiver;

iv. a processor controlling the GPS receiver and satellite transmitter;

v. a battery powering one or more of the GPS receiver, terrestrial transmitter, and processor;

b. at least two local tracking tags comprising;

i. a GNSS receiver;

ii. a terrestrial transmitter;

iiii. a processor controlling the GPS receiver and terrestrial transmitter;

iv. a battery powering one or more of the GPS receiver, terrestrial transmitter, and processor; and

c. the local tracking tags transmit location information to the satellite tracking tag and the satellite tracking tag transmits the location information to a satellite network.

13. An asset tracking network comprising a plurality of assets, each asset having at least one tracking device attached to it, wherein:

a. at least one satellite tracking device comprises;

i. a GNSS receiver;

ii. a satellite transmitter;

iii. a terrestrial receiver;

iv. a processor controlling the GPS receiver and satellite transmitter;

v. a battery powering one or more of the GPS receiver, terrestrial transmitter, and processor;

b. at least two local tracking devices comprising;

i. a terrestrial transmitter;

ii. a processor controlling the terrestrial transmitter;

iii. a battery powering the terrestrial transmitter and processor; and

c. the local tracking devices transmit identification information to the satellite tracking device and the satellite tracking device transmits the identification information to a satellite network.

14. The asset tracking network according to claim 13, wherein the local tracking devices have a short range terrestrial transmitter such that the satellite tracking device only receives local tracking device information when the local tracking device is in the vicinity.

15. The asset tracking network according to claim 13, wherein the local tracking devices include GPS receivers and transmits location and/or additional information such as temperature to the satellite tracking device.

16. An asset tracking network including a plurality of asset tracking devices comprising:

a. at least one satellite tracking device comprising;

i. a GNSS receiver;

ii. a terrestrial receiver;

iii. a processor controlling the GPS receiver and satellite transmitter;

iv. a battery powering one or more of the GPS receiver, terrestrial transmitter, and processor;

b. at least two local tracking devices comprising;

i. a terrestrial transmitter;

ii. a processor controlling the terrestrial transmitter;

iii. a battery powering the terrestrial transmitter and processor; and

c. the local tracking devices transmit a data packet to the satellite tracking device and the satellite tracking device transmits the data packet to a data relay network.

17. The asset tracking network of claim 16, wherein the data packet includes at least one of identification information, location data, or sensor data.

18. The asset tracking network of claim 16, wherein the satellite tracking device includes a satellite transmitter.

19. The asset tracking network of claim 16, wherein where the data relay network includes either a satellite network or a cellular network.