System and method for monitoring interaction between objects and multiple mobile units

• US 6,539,307 B1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Jeffrey A., Holden, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/839,333
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/300, 701/213, 701/301, 340/988, 340/943, 340/989, 340/992, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.17, 342/457
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring interaction between a stationary object and multiple mobile units are described. Positioning data is received from one or more mobile units. Positioning data is processed to retrieve a position of each mobile unit. Finally, one or more warning devices are activated based on a predetermined set of criteria related to the position.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring at least one mobile unit, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of positioning signals;

processing said plurality of positioning signals to retrieve reference positioning data including reference positions;

receiving positioning data from said at least one mobile unit;

processing said positioning data to retrieve a position of said at least one mobile unit;

communicating said reference positioning data to said at least one mobile unit; and

activating at least one warning device based on a predetermined set of criteria related to said position and said reference positions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one warning device is a visual warning device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one warning device is an audible warning device.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises receiving said positioning data via a wireless local area network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one mobile unit is a vehicle located within a construction site.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communicating further comprises communicating said reference positioning data via a wireless local area network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communicating further comprises communicating said reference positioning data at predetermined time intervals.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating further comprises activating said at least one warning device if a range from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is within a set of predetermined values.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating further comprises activating said at least one warning device if a distance from said position of said at least one mobile unit to said reference position is shorter than a predetermined value.

10. A system for monitoring at least one mobile unit, said system comprising:

a radio device for receiving a plurality of positioning signals, and positioning data from said at least one mobile unit; and

a positioning device coupled to said radio device for processing said positioning data to retrieve a position of said at least one mobile unit and for processing the plurality of positioning signals to retrieve reference position data including reference positions;

said positioning device activating at least one warning device coupled to said positioning device based on a predetermined set of criteria related to said position and said reference positions, and wherein said radio device further communicates said reference positioning data to said at least one mobile unit.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one warning device is a visual warning device.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one warning device is an audible warning device.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein said radio device further receives said positioning data via a wireless local area network.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one mobile unit is a vehicle located within a construction site.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein said radio device further communicates said reference positioning data via a wireless local area network.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein said radio device further communicates said reference positioning data at predetermined time intervals.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein said positioning device further activates said at least one warning device if a range from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is within a set of predetermined values.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein said positioning device further activates said at least one warning device if a distance from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is shorter than a predetermined value.

19. The system according to claim 10, wherein said positioning device is a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

20. The system according to claim 10, wherein said positioning device is an ultrasonic positioning device.

21. The system according to claim 10, wherein said positioning device is a light-based positioning device.

22. The system according to claim 10, wherein said positioning device is an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio system device.

23. A system for monitoring at least one mobile unit, said system comprising:

a radio positioning device for receiving positioning data from said at least one mobile unit, and for processing said positioning data to retrieve a position of said at least one mobile unit and wherein said radio positioning device receives a plurality of positioning signals, processes said plurality of positioning signals to retrieve reference positioning data including reference positions, and communicates said reference positioning data to said at least one mobile unit; and

at least one warning device coupled to said radio positioning device, said at least one warning device being activated based on a predetermined set of criteria related to said position and said reference positions.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said radio positioning device is an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio receiver.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one warning device is a visual warning device.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one warning device is an audible warning device.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein said radio positioning device further receives said positioning data via a wireless local area network.

28. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one mobile unit is a vehicle located within a construction site.

29. The system according to claim 23, wherein said radio positioning device further communicates said reference positioning data via a wireless local area network.

30. The system according to claim 23, wherein said radio positioning device further communicates said reference positioning data at predetermined time intervals.

31. The system according to claim 23, wherein said radio positioning device further activates said at least one warning device if a range from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is within a set of predetermined values.

32. The system according to claim 23, wherein said radio positioning device further activates said at least one warning device if a distance from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is shorter than a predetermined value.

33. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause the system to perform a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of positioning signals;

processing said plurality of positioning signals to retrieve reference positioning data including reference positions;

receiving positioning data from at least one mobile unit;

processing said positioning data to retrieve a position of said at least one mobile unit;

communicating said reference positioning data to said at least one mobile unit; and

activating at least one warning device based on a predetermined set of criteria related to said position and said reference positions.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said at least one warning device is a visual warning device.

35. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said at least one warning device is an audible warning device.

36. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said positioning data is received via a wireless local area network.

37. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said at least one mobile unit is a vehicle located within a construction site.

38. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said communicating further comprises communicating said reference positioning data via a wireless local area network.

39. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said communicating further comprises communicating said reference positioning data at predetermined time intervals.

40. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said activating further comprises activating said at least one warning device if a range from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is within a set of predetermined values.

41. The computer readable medium according to claim 33, wherein said activating further comprises activating said at least one warning device if a distance from said position of said at least one mobile unit to at least one of said reference positions is shorter than a predetermined value.