Asset monitoring and tracking system

• US 7,102,493 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Processing Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Processing Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Coppinger, James B., DeBinder, Kevin R., Thomas, Norman A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US11/208,874
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/992, 340/994, 340/426.1, 340/995.12, 340/995.23, 340/426.12, 340/426.17, 340/426.16, 340/426.18, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/426.21, 340/426.25, 340/426.24, 340/426.28, 340/431, 340/825.36, 235/382, 701/207, 701/213, 342/457
• US Class Current: 340/426.19
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset are described, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from a starting location to a destination location. The method includes providing destination information to a tracking device on the mobile asset, and setting a boundary about the destination location which is also referred to herein as a geoboundary. As the mobile asset moves from the starting location to the destination location, the current location of the mobile asset is determined, and a determination is made whether the current location is within the geoboundary. If the current location of the mobile asset is within the geoboundary, an arrival message is transmitted from the tracking device. Preferred embodiments of the invention include the step of transmitting a departure message from the tracking device if the current location of the mobile asset moves from within the geoboundary to outside the geoboundary. The tracking device apparatus preferably includes a tether sensor and one or more door sensors. The tether sensor senses whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle, and the one or more door sensors sense whether one or more doors on the mobile asset are open or closed. The apparatus includes a processor, a location determining device for determining the geographic location of the mobile asset, and a transceiver for transmitting and receiving status messages related to the status of the mobile asset.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the transport vehicle operated by a driver, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting a driver exit message indicating that the driver is exiting the vehicle;

(b) receiving the driver exit message at a central monitoring station that is remote from the transport vehicle;

(c) determining a first location of the mobile asset and a first boundary about the first location based on receipt of the driver exit message;

(d) determining whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary before a driver reentry message is transmitted to the central monitoring station; and

(e) transmitting a status message to the central monitoring station when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary before the driver reentry message is transmitted.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises transmitting the driver exit message from a wireless communications device installed in the transport vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises sending an email message including the driver exit message.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising (f) transmitting the driver reentry message to the central monitoring station indicating that the driver has returned to the transport vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step (f) further comprises sending an email message including the driver reentry message.

2. A system for monitoring the status of a mobile asset, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the transport vehicle operated by a driver, the system comprising:

a central monitoring station located remotely from the transport vehicle, the central monitoring station for receiving status messages related to the status of the mobile asset, and for transmitting begin-tracking and end-tracking messages; and

an asset tracking device associated with the mobile asset, comprising;

a location determining device for determining a geographic location of the mobile asset, and for providing a location signal indicative of the geographic location of the mobile asset;

a transmitter for transmitting status messages related to the status of the mobile asset;

a receiver operable to receive the begin-tracking and end-tracking messages; and

a processor in communication with the transmitter and receiver, where upon receipt of the begin-tracking message, the processor

(a) determines a first location of the mobile asset and a first boundary about the first location,

(b) determines based on the location signal whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary, and

(c) activates the transmitter to transmit a status message when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary, and

upon receipt of the end-tracking message, the processor does not activate the transmitter to transmit a status message when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a wireless mobile communications unit operable by the driver to transmit log-out and log-in messages; and

the central monitoring station operable in response to a log-out message to send the begin-tracking message to the asset tracking device, and operable in response to a log-in message to send the end-tracking message to the asset tracking device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the wireless mobile communications unit comprises a transceiver installed in the transport vehicle.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the log-out and log-in messages comprise email messages.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

the transmitter further for transmitting log-out and log-in messages based on operations initiated by the driver; and

the central monitoring station for sending the begin-tracking message to the asset tracking device in response to a log-out message transmitted from the transmitter of the asset tracking device, and for sending the end-tracking message to the asset tracking device in response to a log-in message transmitted from the transmitter of the asset tracking device.

11. An apparatus for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the transport vehicle operated by a driver, the apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a driver exit message from the transport vehicle indicating that the driver is exiting the transport vehicle;

means for receiving the driver exit message at a central monitoring station that is remote from the transport vehicle;

means for determining a first location of the mobile asset;

means for determining a first boundary about the first location based on receipt of the driver exit message and for determining whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary before a driver reentry message is received; and

means for transmitting a status message to a central monitoring station when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary before the driver reentry message is received.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for transmitting a driver exit message and the means for transmitting a status message comprise a communication unit installed in the transport vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for determining a first location of the mobile asset comprise a GPS receiver.

14. A method for monitoring a mobile asset at a central monitoring station, the mobile asset having an asset tracking device associated therewith, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the transport vehicle operated by a driver, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting a driver exit message to the central monitoring station indicating that the driver is exiting the transport vehicle;

(b) receiving the driver exit message at the central monitoring station;

(c) upon receipt of the driver exit message, transmitting a begin tracking message from the central monitoring station to the asset tracking device;

(d) upon receipt of the begin tracking message, determining a first location of the mobile asset and a first boundary about the first location;

(d) monitoring whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary; and

(e) if the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary before an end tracking message is transmitted to the asset tracking device, transmitting a departure message to the central monitoring station.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

(f) transmitting a driver reentry message to the central monitoring station indicating that the driver has reentered the transport vehicle;

(g) receiving the driver reentry message at the central monitoring station; and

(h) upon receipt of the driver reentry message, transmitting the end tracking message from the central monitoring station to the asset tracking device.