Communication system for tracking assets

• US 7,089,018 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Galetti, Ralph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/310,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 701213-214, 701/216, 340/988, 340/457, 340/426, 455/572, 455/404.1, 455/456.1, 455/550, 455/420, 455/575.1, 455/575.4, 342/450, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A communication system comprises a mobile unit that generates mobile unit position signals and message signals. A base station is wireless two-way coupled to the mobile unit. The base station has a GPS receiver that generates base station position signals, a master wireless modem that receives the mobile unit position signals, and the mobile unit message signals. The base station includes a base display changing in response to the mobile unit position signals and the base station position signal.

Claims

1. A mobile unit comprising:

a GPS receiver generating a mobile unit position signal;

a wireless modem receiving base station message signals and transmitting said mobile unit position signal therethrough;

a first antenna mount/cap assembly and a second mount/cap assembly, one of said first and second antenna mount/cap assemblies coupled to said GPS receiver and said wireless modem, wherein first and second antenna mount/cap assemblies are interchangeable;

a text display; and

a controller coupled to said GPS receiver and said wireless modem, said controller generating a text display in response to said mobile unit position signal and said base station message signals.

2. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said antenna mounting/cap assembly comprises a GPS antenna and a wireless modem antenna.

3. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said antenna mounting/cap assembly comprises a GPS antenna and a wireless modem antenna connector.

4. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said antenna mounting/cap assembly comprises a GPS antenna connector and a wireless modem antenna connector.

5. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 farther comprising a push button.

6. A mobile unit as recited in claim 5 wherein said controller generates a communication signal in response to an activation of said push button.

7. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 farther comprising a power source coupled to said controller.

8. A mobile unit as recited in claim 7 wherein said power source is removable.

9. A mobile unit as recited in claim 7 wherein said power source is rechargeable.

10. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said GPS receiver, said wireless modem and said controller are positioned within a sealed housing.

11. A mobile unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said text display comprises a backlit LCD display.

12. A communication system comprising:

a mobile unit according to claim 1 generating mobile unit position signals and mobile unit message signals;

a base station wirelessly two-way coupled to said mobile unit, said base station having a GPS receiver generating base station position signals;

a master wireless modem receiving said mobile unit position signals and said mobile unit message signals; and

a base display coupled to the base station, said base display changing in response to said mobile unit position signals, said base station position signal, and said mobile unit message signals.

13. A communication system as recited in claim 12 wherein said mobile unit has a mobile unit display updated in response to paging signals generated by said master wireless modem.

14. A communication system as recited in claim 13 wherein said mobile unit display comprises a text display.

15. A communication system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a plurality of mobile units wirelessly two-way coupled to said base station.

16. A communication system as recited in claim 15 wherein said plurality of mobile units generate respective mobile unit position signals, said base display formed as a function of said respective mobile unit position signals.

17. A communication system as recited in claim 12 wherein said base display comprises a map display.

18. A communication system as recited in claim 12 wherein said base display comprises a moving display.

19. A communication system comprising a base station including:

a mobile unit according to claim 1 generating mobile and position and mobile unit message signals;

a map display;

a master wireless modem receiving mobile unit position communication signals, and transmitting base station message signals therethrough including;

a GPS receiver generating a base station position signal; and

a microcontroller coupled to said map display, said master wireless modem and said GPS receiver, said microcontroller operating said map display in response to said mobile unit position signals, said base station position signal, and said mobile unit message signals.

20. A base station as recited in claim 19 wherein said microcontroller generates paging communication signals in response to an input device.

21. A base station as recited in claim 20 wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.

22. A base station as recited in claim 19 wherein said map display is a moving map display updated by said microcontroller in response to said mobile unit position communication signals and said base station position signals.

23. A base station as recited in claim 19 wherein said GPS receiver and said master wireless modem are coupled to said microcontroller through a single port.

24. A base station as recited in claim 23 wherein said single pod comprises a serial port.