Protocol and mechanism for mutter mode communication for stationary master tracking unit
First Claim
1. A method of tracking mobile assets which are temporarily located in an area having a high density of mobile assets, comprising the steps of:
- affixing a mobile tracking unit to each mobile asset to be tracked;
installing a stationary tracking unit in said area having a high density of mobile assets;
establishing a local area network of tracked assets between said stationary tracking unit and a plurality of tracking units affixed to mobile assets in close proximity in said area, each of said tracking units constituting a node of the mobile local area network, said stationary tracking unit being assigned to be a "master" unit and each of said mobile tracking units being a respective "slave" unit; and
approximately locating assets by their respective connections in the local area network where location of the stationary tracking unit is known.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A local area network (LAN) of tracked mobile assets which are temporarily located in an area having a high density of mobile assets, such as a railway yard, employs a stationary master tracking unit that is responsible for communicating with mobile tracking units affixed to the mobile assets and transmitting information to a central station. The stationary master tracking unit may be mounted at an elevation, as on a pole, and single or multiple stationary master tracking units may exist in the same vicinity. Each stationary master tracking unit has a constant supply of power and communicates with the central station by way of either satellites or dedicated land line connection. A protocol is provided for communicating between the Stationary master tracking unit and the mobile tracking units. The protocol provides a mechanism for acquiring new mobile tracking units entering the railway yard and a mechanism for releasing mobile tracking units leaving the railway yard.
155 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method of tracking mobile assets which are temporarily located in an area having a high density of mobile assets, comprising the steps of:
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affixing a mobile tracking unit to each mobile asset to be tracked; installing a stationary tracking unit in said area having a high density of mobile assets; establishing a local area network of tracked assets between said stationary tracking unit and a plurality of tracking units affixed to mobile assets in close proximity in said area, each of said tracking units constituting a node of the mobile local area network, said stationary tracking unit being assigned to be a "master" unit and each of said mobile tracking units being a respective "slave" unit; and approximately locating assets by their respective connections in the local area network where location of the stationary tracking unit is known. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification