Asset tracking method

• US 7,277,048 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Preco Electronics Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Preco Electronics Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Hessing, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US10/900,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.03, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.24
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/07 providing data for correcting measured positioning data, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS] or ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/072 Ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for managing assets such as vehicles and/or equipment in an area such as a repair yard or parking lot. A plurality of mobile devices periodically wake-up at different times and transmit their uncorrected GPS location data to one or more fixed local devices. Each fixed local device periodically forwards its accumulated, uncorrected GPS data for each mobile device to a reference device. A reference device is precisely located and capable of differentially correcting the data and forwarding the corrected result sets either back to the local devices and/or to third parties.

Claims

1. An asset tracking system comprising:

a mobile tracking device comprising;

a non-differential GPS receiver, a processor, and a digital data transmitter;

a local fixed device comprising;

a non-differential GPS receiver, a processor, and a digital data transceiver; and

a reference device comprising;

a differential GPS receiver, a processor, and a digital data transceiver;

wherein said mobile tracking device receives uncorrected GPS-based position information and transmits said information uni-directionally to the local fixed device;

wherein said local fixed device receives said uncorrected GPS-based position information from said mobile tracking device and transmits said information to said reference device;

wherein said reference device receives and applies differential corrections to said transmitted uncorrected information; and

wherein said reference device, and no other device, prepares corrected information for re-transmission, but not to the mobile tracking device.

2. A method for tracking mobile assets, the method comprising:

providing a mobile tracking device comprising;

a non-differential GPS receiver, a processor, and a digital data transmitter;

providing a local fixed device comprising;

a non-differential GPS receiver, a processor, and a digital data transceiver;

providing a reference device comprising;

a differential GPS receiver, a processor, and a digital data transceiver;

wherein said mobile tracking device receives uncorrected GPS-based position information and transmits said information uni-directionally to the local fixed device;

wherein said local fixed device receives said uncorrected GPS-based position information from said mobile tracking device and transmits said information to said reference device;

wherein said reference device receives and applies differential corrections to said transmitted uncorrected information; and

wherein said reference device, and no other device, prepares corrected information for re-transmission, but not to the mobile tracking device.