Tracking system and methods thereof

• US 7,106,189 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 192 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tractech, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Burneske, Gregory W., Schleifer, Fred F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung
• Application Number:
  US10/835,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.14, 340/539.16, 340/539.22, 340/539.23, 340/572.1, 340/571.4, 340/825.49, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/686.1, 340/825.36
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2485 Simultaneous detection of multiple EAS tags

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to tracking systems and methods for monitoring the location of an asset or group of assets. In particular, the present invention provides systems for monitoring the location of a large group of assets. Furthermore, the present invention provides systems and methods for identifying an asset within a group of assets.

Claims

1. An asset tracking system, comprising:

a) at least one tracking device associated with an asset, wherein said at least one tracking device measures acceleration and roll rate, identifies and mitigates measurement error, and determines asset position; and

b) a communication network configured to receive said asset position from said at least one tracking device.

2. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein said communication network displays said asset position.

3. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein said asset is a non-living entity.

4. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein said asset is a living entity.

5. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein at least one tracking device measures acceleration with at least one accelerometer.

6. The asset tracking system of claim 5, wherein said accelerometer measures linear acceleration.

7. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein at least one tracking device measures roll rate with at least one gyroscope.

8. The asset tracking system of claim 7, wherein said gyroscope measures roll rate.

9. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein said measurement error is selected from the group consisting of:

accelerometer measurement error, gyroscope measurement error, accelerometer linearity error, gyroscope linearity error, accelerometer noise, gyroscope noise, accelerometer drift, gyroscope drift, accelerometer misalignment, and gyroscope misalignment.

10. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein said at least one tracking device further comprises a processor.

11. The asset tracking system of claim 10, wherein said processor performs calculations to determine the location of said at least one tracking device.

12. The asset tracking system of claim 10, wherein said processor identifies accelerometer measurement error.

13. The asset tracking system of claim 10, wherein said processor identifies gyroscope measurement error.

14. The asset tracking system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device further comprises at least one magnetic sensor.

15. The asset tracking system of claim 14, wherein said at least one magnetic sensor measures the difference between the tracking device computational frame of reference and Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

16. The asset tracking system of claim 1, further comprising a homing station, wherein said homing station provides a homing station reference position for said at least one tracking device.

17. The asset tracking system of claim 16, wherein said asset position is in reference to said homing station reference position.

18. An asset tracking system, comprising:

a) at least one tracking device associated with an asset, wherein said at least one tracking device comprises at least one accelerometer, at least one gyroscope, and a processor, wherein said at least one accelerometer measures linear acceleration, wherein said at least one gyroscope measures roll rate, wherein said processor identifies and mitigates accelerometer measurement error and gyroscope measurement error, wherein said processor determines asset position; and

b) a communication network configured to receive said asset position from said at least one tracking device, wherein said communication network displays said asset position.

19. A method of tracking an asset, comprising:

a) providing an asset tracking system comprising;

i) at least one tracking device associated with an asset, wherein said at least one tracking device measures acceleration, identifies and mitigates measurement error, and determines asset position; and

ii) a communication network configured to receive said asset position from said at least one tracking device; and

b) acquiring said asset position for each asset

c) mitigating said measurement errors associated with said linear acceleration and roll rate measurements, and

d) determining the position of said asset in relation to said initial reference position.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said communication network displays said asset position.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said asset is a non-living entity.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said asset is a living entity.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one accelerometer tracking device measures linear acceleration.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one gyroscope measures roll rate.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said measurement error is inaccurate acceleration measurement.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one tracking device further comprises at least one magnetic sensor, wherein said at least one magnetic sensor identifies alignment errors with said at least one accelerometer and said at least one gyroscope.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said at least one tracking device further comprises a processor, wherein said processor identifies and mitigates said measurement error.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising a homing station, wherein said homing station provides a homing station reference position for said at least one tracking device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said asset position is in reference to said homing station reference position.

30. A method of tracking an asset, comprising:

a) providing an asset tracking system comprising;

i) at least one tracking device associated with an asset, wherein said at least one tracking device measures acceleration; and

ii) a communication network configured to receive measurements from said at least one tracking device, identify and mitigate measurement error, and determine asset position for said at least one tracking device; and

b) acquiring said asset position for each asset.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said communication network displays said asset position.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said asset is a non-living entity.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said asset is a living entity.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein said at least one accelerometer tracking device measures linear acceleration.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said at least one gyroscope measures roll rate.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein said measurement error is inaccurate acceleration measurement.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein said at least one tracking device further comprises at least one magnetic sensor, wherein said at least one magnetic sensor identifies alignment errors with said at least one accelerometer and said at least one gyroscope.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein said at least one tracking device further comprises a processor, wherein said processor identifies and mitigates said measurement error.

39. The method of claim 30, further comprising a homing station, wherein said homing station provides a homing station reference position for said at least one tracking device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said asset position is in reference to said homing station reference position.

41. The method of claim 30, wherein said communication network comprises a remote processor.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said remote processor determines said asset position for said at least one tracking device.