Method and system for providing tracking services to locate an asset

• US 7,138,914 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spectrum Tracking Systems, Inc. (5th Element Tracking LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Tracking Systems, Inc. (5th Element Tracking LLC)
• Inventors: Culpepper, Jerry W., Smith, Lawrence M., VanCleave, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/011,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of asset location. Location data is received from a cellular transmitter associated with a selected asset, which location data includes data representative of a cellular receiver with which direct communication with the cellular transmitter is made. The location data is then communicated to a tracking service system, which tracking service system includes a database representative of geographic locations associated with a plurality of cellular receivers. The database is then queried with received location data so as to generate geographic tracking data associated with a location of the cellular receiver, the geographic tracking data including display data adapted to generate a map image including a representative of a location of the selected asset. The geographic tracking data is then communicated to an associated security agency so as to allow for viewing of an image generated in accordance with the display data and at least one of tracking and interception of the selected asset.

Claims

1. An asset tracking management system comprising:

means adapted for receiving device data representative of properties of a plurality of asset tracking devices;

means adapted for displaying the received device data representative of properties of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

means adapted for receiving event data representative of at least one asset tracking event associated with at least one of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

means adapted for displaying the received event data representative of properties of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

means adapted for receiving device service data representative of a maintenance history of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

means adapted for displaying the received device service data representative of a maintenance history of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

means adapted for receiving tracking data representative of a temporal property associated with the at least one tracking event; and

means adapted for displaying the received tracking data representative of the temporal property associated with the at least one tracking event.

2. The asset tracking management system of claim 1 wherein the device data includes identification data uniquely associated with each of the plurality of asset tracking devices.

3. The asset tracking management system of claim 2, wherein the identification data is one of a device ID, an asset ID, a transmitter code ID and a telephone number.

4. The asset tracking management system of claim 3 wherein event data associated with each event includes:

a unique event identifier associated with the event; and

location data representative of a location of an asset associated with the event.

5. The asset tracking management system of claim 4 wherein the device service data includes, for each of the plurality of asset tracking devices:

data representative of an installation date of the device; and

data representative of a service period for the device.

6. A method for managing asset tracking, comprising the steps of:

receiving device data representative of properties of a plurality of asset tracking devices;

displaying the received device data representative of properties of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

receiving event data representative of at least one asset tracking event associated with at least one of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

displaying the received event data representative of properties of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

receiving device service data representative of a maintenance history of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

displaying the received device service data representative of a maintenance history of the plurality of asset tracking devices;

receiving tracking data representative of a temporal property associated with the at least one tracking event; and

displaying the received tracking data representative of the temporal property associated with the at least one tracking event.

7. The method for managing asset tracking of claim 6 wherein the device data includes identification data uniquely associated with each of the plurality of asset tracking devices.

8. The method for managing asset tracking of claim 7 wherein the identification data is one of a device ID, an asset ID, a transmitter code ID and a telephone number.

9. The method for managing asset tracking of claim 8 wherein event data associated with each event includes:

a unique event identifier associated with the event; and

location data representative of a location of an asset associated with the event.

10. The method for managing asset tracking of claim 9 wherein the device service data includes, for each of the plurality of asset tracking devices:

data representative of an installation date of the device; and

data representative of a service period for the device.