Asset Monitoring Using the Internet

• US 20140081813A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,082,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

Method for monitoring assets that include a sensor system that obtains data about contents thereof, a processor that derives information about the contents from the sensor data, and a communication system that, when linked to a communications network, wirelessly transmits the information derived by the processor via the Internet. The information is received at a data processing and storage facility, associated with a unique identification code for each asset, and stored in association with the identification code. Access to the stored information is effected via the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring assets, comprising:

providing on each asset,

an on-board sensor system that obtains data about contents in an interior of the asset,

a processor that derives information about the contents from the data obtained by the sensor system, and

a communication system configured to link to a communications network encompassing an area of travel of the container and including Internet connectability,

wirelessly transmitting from each asset, using the communication system when linked to the communications network, the information derived by the processor via the Internet,

receiving, at a data processing and storage facility, the information being transmitted from the assets via the communication system of each of the assets and the Internet;

associating the information being transmitted from each of the assets with a unique identification code for each asset;

storing the received information in association with the identification code; and

enabling access to the stored information via the Internet.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing on each asset, a location determining system that determines location of the asset;

wirelessly transmitting from each asset, using the communication system when linked to the communications network, the location of the asset determined by the location determining system to the data processing and storage facility via the Internet;

associating the location of each asset with the received information and the identification code for the asset; and

storing the determined location of each asset with the received information in association with the identification code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-board sensor system determines one or more properties of the environment of each asset, the processor deriving information about the environment of each asset, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting from each asset, using the communication system when linked to the communications network, the information about the environment of each asset to the data processing and storage facility via the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-board sensor system determines whether a door of the asset has been opened or closed, an indication of opening or closing of the door being transmitted via the communication system to the data processing and storage facility and then stored thereat.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the data processing and storage facility, information about an implement being used to transport the asset;

associating the information about the implement with the received information and the identification code for each asset; and

storing the received information about the implement in association with the identification code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the data processing and storage facility, information about at least one individual or company involved in transport of the asset;

associating the information about the individual or company with the received information and the identification code for each asset; and

storing the received information about the individual or company in association with the identification code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of enabling access to the stored information comprises enabling limited Internet access to the data processing and storage facility based on a shipper of each asset such that using the Internet, a shipper of one of the assets is able to check location and progress of the asset, contents of the asset, an environment of the asset, whether a door of the asset is being opened and closed impermissibly and individuals and companies handling the asset.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of enabling access to the stored information comprises enabling limited Internet access to the data processing and storage facility for law enforcement of maritime/port authorities such that using the Internet, law enforcement personnel or maritime/port authority personnel are able to check contents of the asset and individuals and companies handling the asset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of enabling access to the stored information comprises enabling different entities access to different portions of the information in the data processing and storage facility.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating an asset anti-theft protocol into the data processing and storage facility by determining whether there are differences between the current contents of the asset as obtained from the data processing and storage facility and a manifest for the asset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein when there are determined to be differences between the current contents of the asset as obtained from the data processing and storage facility and a manifest for the asset, enabling review of historical data about the asset stored at the data processing and storage facility to identify a location at which the contents changed from the manifest.

12. A method for monitoring assets, comprising:

providing on each asset,

an on-board sensor system that obtains data about presence of contents in an interior of the asset, and

a communication system coupled to the sensor system and configured to link to a communications network encompassing an area of travel of the container,

wirelessly transmitting from each asset, using the communication system when linked to the communications network, the contents-presence data,

receiving, at a data processing and storage facility, the contents-presence data that has been transmitted from the assets via the communication system of each of the assets;

receiving, at the data processing and storage facility, expected contents of each asset;

comparing the expected contents of at least one asset with the contents-presence data of the respective asset to determine any discrepancies; and

when a discrepancy is found to be present, intercepting the asset, and

when a discrepancy is found not to be present, permitting continued travel of the asset.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data processing and storage facility receives the contents-presence data that has been transmitted from the assets via the communication system of each of the assets and the comparison of the expected contents of the at least one asset with the contents-presence data of the respective asset to determine any discrepancies is performed at the data storage and processing facility.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating the information being transmitted from each of the assets with a unique identification code for each asset;

storing at the data processing and storage facility, the received information in association with the identification code; and

enabling access to the stored information via the Internet.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, at the data processing and storage facility, information about at least one of an implement being used to transport the asset and an individual or company involved in transport of the asset;

associating the information about at least one of the implement and the individual or company with the received information and the identification code; and

storing the received information about at least one of the implement and the individual or company in association with the identification code.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of enabling access to the stored information comprises at least one of:

enabling limited Internet access to the data processing and storage facility based on a shipper of each asset such that using the Internet, a shipper of one of the assets is able to check location and progress of the asset, contents of the asset, an environment of the asset, whether a door of the asset is being opened and closed impermissibly and individuals and companies handling the asset;

enabling limited Internet access to the data processing and storage facility for law enforcement of maritime/port authorities such that using the Internet, law enforcement personnel or maritime/port authority personnel are able to check contents of the asset and individuals and companies handling the asset; and

enabling different entities access to different portions of the information in the data processing and storage facility.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing on each asset, a location determining system that determines location of the asset;

wirelessly transmitting from each asset, using the communication system when linked to the communications network, the location of the asset determined by the location determining system to the data processing and storage facility;

associating the location of each asset with the received information; and

storing the determined location of each asset in association with the received information.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the wirelessly transmission of the contents-presence data from each asset is via the Internet.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising enabling at least one person to enter the expected contents of each asset using an input device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the on-board sensor system determines one or more properties of the environment of each asset, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting from each asset, using the communication system when linked to the communications network, the information about the environment of each asset to the data processing and storage facility via the Internet.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the on-board sensor system determines whether a door of the asset has been opened or closed, an indication of opening or closing of the door being transmitted via the communication system to the data processing and storage facility and then stored thereat.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein when a discrepancy is found to be present, enabling review of historical data about the asset stored at the data processing and storage facility to identify a location at which the contents changed from the expected contents.