Method and system for asset tracking
First Claim
1. A method of operating an asset tracking system comprising a tracking device management system and a tracking device, wherein the tracking device management system is comprised of a management system communication device, a management system communication interface and a tracking system server, wherein the tracking system server is comprised of a database for storing data pertaining to the asset tracking system and wherein the tracking device is comprised of a GPS receiver, a tracking device communication device and a microcontroller, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) using the GPS receiver to obtain a plurality of GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters in order to facilitate the determination of positioning coordinates of the tracking device;
(b) processing the GPS signals with the microcontroller in order to produce a positioning message;
(c) transmitting the positioning message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device;
(d) processing the positioning message with the tracking device management system to determine the positioning coordinates of the tracking device;
(e) providing a customer communication link between a customer of the asset tracking system and the management system communication interface to enable the customer to communicate with the tracking device management system; and
(f) configuring the tracking device through the customer communication link, wherein the tracking device configuring step is comprised of;
(i) transmitting a command to the tracking device through the tracking device communication link via the tracking device management system;
(ii) transmitting a confirmation that the tracking device has been configured from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link; and
(iii) modifying the database to reflect the configuration of the tracking device after the confirmation has been received by the tracking device management system.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An asset tracking and panic alarm system includes: a tracking device for mounting in an asset; a panic alarm pendant for carrying by a person; a RF receiver module for mounting in the asset for receiving a panic alarm signal from the pendant; and, a server coupled to a cellular telephone network and to a client terminal; the server including means for receiving the panic alarm indication and GPS information from the tracking device via the cellular telephone network; the server including means for determining a location of the asset from the GPS information: the client terminal for displaying the panic alarm indication and the location to a user, thereby notifying the user that the person has activated the panic alarm switch within a predetermined radius from the asset.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method of operating an asset tracking system comprising a tracking device management system and a tracking device, wherein the tracking device management system is comprised of a management system communication device, a management system communication interface and a tracking system server, wherein the tracking system server is comprised of a database for storing data pertaining to the asset tracking system and wherein the tracking device is comprised of a GPS receiver, a tracking device communication device and a microcontroller, the method comprising the following steps:
-
(a) using the GPS receiver to obtain a plurality of GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters in order to facilitate the determination of positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (b) processing the GPS signals with the microcontroller in order to produce a positioning message; (c) transmitting the positioning message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device; (d) processing the positioning message with the tracking device management system to determine the positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (e) providing a customer communication link between a customer of the asset tracking system and the management system communication interface to enable the customer to communicate with the tracking device management system; and (f) configuring the tracking device through the customer communication link, wherein the tracking device configuring step is comprised of; (i) transmitting a command to the tracking device through the tracking device communication link via the tracking device management system; (ii) transmitting a confirmation that the tracking device has been configured from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link; and (iii) modifying the database to reflect the configuration of the tracking device after the confirmation has been received by the tracking device management system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method of operating an asset tracking system comprising a tracking device management system and a tracking device, wherein the tracking device management system is comprised of a management system communication device and wherein the tracking device is comprised of a GPS receiver, a tracking device communication device and a microcontroller, comprising the following steps:
-
(a) using the GPS receiver to obtain a plurality of GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters in order to facilitate the determination of positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (b) processing the GPS signals with the microcontroller in order to produce a positioning message; (c) transmitting the positioning message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device; (d) processing the positioning message with the tracking device management system to determine the positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (e) receiving an alarm signal at the tracking device; (f) processing the alarm signal with the microcontroller in order to produce and alarm message; and (g) implementing an alarm message transmitting procedure comprised of the steps of transmitting the alarm message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link and re-transmitting the alarm message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if an alarm message receipt confirmation is not received by the tracking device from the tracking device management system within a selected alarm message confirmation time. - View Dependent Claims (34)
-
-
35. A method of operating an asset tracking system comprising a tracking device management system and a tracking device, wherein the tracking device management system is comprised of a management system communication device and wherein the tracking device is comprised of a GPS receiver, a tracking device communication device and a microcontroller, comprising the following steps:
-
(a) using the GPS receiver to obtain a plurality of GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters in order to facilitate the determination of positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (b) processing the GPS signals with the microcontroller in order to produce a positioning message; (c) transmitting the positioning message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device; (d) processing the positioning message with the tracking device management system to determine the positioning coordinates of the tracking device; (e) receiving an alarm signal at the tracking device; (f) processing the alarm signal with the microcontroller in order to produce an alarm message; and (g) implementing an alarm message transmitting procedure comprised of the steps of; (i) transmitting the alarm message from the tracking device to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link; (ii) waiting for a selected alarm message confirmation time for receipt by the tracking device of an alarm message receipt confirmation from the tracking device management system; (iii) re-transmitting the alarm message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if the alarm message receipt confirmation is not received by the tracking device within the alarm message confirmation time; and (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) until either the alarm message receipt confirmation has been received by the tracking device or the alarm message has been transmitted and re-transmitted a selected number of times. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
-
Specification