Method and apparatus for monitoring the position of a machine
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring the operation of a mobile machine, the machine including a mobile communicator adapted to communicate with a remote monitoring station, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a configuration message from the remote monitoring station via a wireless communication link, said configuration message including at least one of a geographic data packet and a time data packet, said geographic data packet identifying at least one monitoring region, and said time data packet including a desired time of operation of the machine;
comparing at least one of a current machine position to said monitoring region and a current machine time of operation to said desired time of operation; and
sending an alarm message to the remote monitoring station in response said comparison.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a mobile machine. The machine includes a mobile communicator adapted to communicate with a remote monitoring station. The method includes the steps of receiving a configuration message from the remote monitoring station via a wireless communication link, comparing at least one of a current machine position to the configuration information a current machine time of operation to the configuration message, and sending an alarm message to the remote monitoring station in response the comparison.
256 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring the operation of a mobile machine, the machine including a mobile communicator adapted to communicate with a remote monitoring station, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a configuration message from the remote monitoring station via a wireless communication link, said configuration message including at least one of a geographic data packet and a time data packet, said geographic data packet identifying at least one monitoring region, and said time data packet including a desired time of operation of the machine;
comparing at least one of a current machine position to said monitoring region and a current machine time of operation to said desired time of operation; and
sending an alarm message to the remote monitoring station in response said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
setting an alarm when said current position is outside said monitored region and said inclusion monitoring is being performed; and
setting said alarm when said current position is inside said monitored region and said exclusion monitoring is being performed.
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13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, further including the step of resetting said alarm in response to one of a reset message from a local data port message, a reset message from said remote monitoring station, a timer based expiration, and a position based resetting.
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14. A method as set forth in claim 12, including the steps of:
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resetting said alarm when said current machine position is inside said monitored region and said inclusion monitoring is being performed; and
resetting said alarm when said current machine position is outside said monitored region and said exclusion monitoring is being performed.
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15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of comparing said current time of operation includes the steps of:
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determining if said machine is running; and
setting an alarm when said current time of operation is outside said desired time of operation and said machine is running.
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16. A method as set forth in claim 15, including the step of resetting said alarm when said machine is not running.
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17. A method, as set forth in claim 15, including the step of displaying said monitoring region and said current machine position to an operator.
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18. A method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein said operator is one of an on-board operator, a remote operator, and an end-user.
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19. A method for monitoring the operation of a mobile machine, the machine including a mobile communicator adapted to communicate with a remote monitoring station, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a configuration message from the remote monitoring station via a wireless communication link, said configuration message including at least one of a geographic data packet and a time data packet;
wherein said geographic data packet identifies at least one monitoring region;
wherein said time data packet includes a desired time of operation of the machine;
comparing a current machine position to said monitoring region;
comparing a current machine time of operation to said desired time of operation; and
sending an alarm message to the remote monitoring station in response to one of said position comparison and said time of operation comparison.
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20. A system adapted to monitor the operation of a mobile machine, comprising:
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a remote monitoring station adapted to generate a configuration message, said message including at least one of a geographic data packet and a time data packet, said geographic data packet identifying at least one monitoring region, and said time data packet identifying a desired time of operation of the machine;
a mobile communicator adapted to receive said configuration message and responsively compare at least one of a current machine position to said monitoring region and a current machine time of operation to said desired time of operation, and send an alarm message to said remote monitoring station in response said comparison; and
a wireless communication link adapted to deliver said configuration message from said remote monitoring station to said mobile communicator. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
set said alarm when said current position is inside said monitored region and said exclusion monitoring is performed. -
31. A system, as set forth in claim 20, further comprising a display in communication with said mobile communicator, said display being adapted to receive and display at least one said monitoring region and adapted to receive and display said current machine position.
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32. A system, as set forth in claim 20, further comprising a display in communication with said remote monitoring station, said display being adapted to receive and display at least one said monitoring region and adapted to receive and display said current machine position.
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Specification