Wireless asset monitoring and security system

• US 7,391,326 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watson, James, Puzio, Daniel, Bradus, Robert, Watts, Fred S., Mooney, Charles P., Pugh, William E. II, Milburn, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/899,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/10.1, 340/5.61, 340/572.2, 340/572.8, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/5.1, 340/5.73, 340/572.4, 340/539.24, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/680, 726/2
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• 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 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0266 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact distance between parent and child or surveyor and item
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

An asset monitoring and security system includes at least one asset assigned a unique identifier and operable wirelessly transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier. A data store maintains a list of the assets and privileges associated with the assets for authorized users of the assets. A control unit is adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and monitor positions of the assets within a defined area. The control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded. Each of the assets includes a lock-out mechanism that impedes use of the asset when the lock-out mechanism is activated. The control unit activates the lock-out mechanism of a given asset when the privileges associated with the asset for authorized users of the asset are exceeded.

Claims

1. A power tool monitoring and security system, comprising:

at least power tool assigned a unique identifier stored in an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless radio frequency (RF) communications link;

at least one user identification device assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over the wireless communication link;

a data store for maintaining a list of the power tools and privileges associated with the power tools for authorized users of the power tools; and

a control unit adapted to receive identification signals from the power tools and the user identification device and determine positions of the power tools and the user identification devices within a job site location based on the identification signals, wherein the control unit associates a given power tool with a given user identification device when a distance between the given power tool and the given user identification device is less than a threshold and updates the data store with the associate between the given power tool and the given user identification device, wherein the control unit is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given power tool for authorized users of the power tool are exceeded.

2. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the data store maintains a list of users authorized to use the power tools and privileges associated with the power tools for each of the authorized users and wherein the control unit is operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given authorized user for a given power tool are exceeded.

3. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 2 wherein a privilege associated with an power tool for a given authorized user limits the authorized user to possession of the power tool within the job site location and wherein the control unit initiates the alarm event when the given authorized user possesses the power tool outside of the job site location.

4. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the control unit generates a return time for an power tool when the power tool moves from outside of the job site location to within the job site location and wherein the control unit stores the return time in the data store.

5. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 2 further comprises at least one RFID badge worn by a user, assigned a unique identifier, and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier to the control unit over a wireless RF communications link.

6. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 5 wherein the control unit is adapted to receive identification signals from the RFID badges and monitor positions of the RFID badges within the job site location based on the identification signals from the RFID badges.

7. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 6 wherein the control unit associates a power tool with a user when the control unit detects a RFID badge of the user within a predetermined distance of the power tool.

8. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 7 wherein the RFID badge includes an alarm indicator and wherein the control unit activates the alarm indicator when a distance between the RFID badge and the power tool associated with the RFID badge is greater than a second predetermined distance.

9. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 further comprises a data input device adapted to receive a personal identifier input by a user that uniquely identifies the user and a list of desired power tools input by the user that the user desires to possess during an power tool check-out process.

10. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 9 wherein the data input device is operable to transmit the personal identifier and the list of desired power tools to the data store and wherein the control unit associates a given power tool with the user based on the personal identifier and the list of desired power tools.

11. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 9 further comprises a camera that communicates with the control unit and that captures an image of a user at least one of during and/or after the power tool check-out process.

12. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein a privilege associated with a given power tool for authorized users of the power tool limits authorized users to possession of the power tool within the job site location and wherein the control unit initiates the alarm event when the power tool is located outside of the job site location.

13. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein the control unit generates a departure time for an power tool when the power tool moves from within the job site location to outside of the job site location and wherein the control unit stores the departure time in the data store.

14. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 further comprises a camera that communicates with the control unit and that captures an image of a power tool at an exit point of the job site location when the power tool one of moves from within the job site location to outside of the job site location or moves from outside of the job site location to within the job site location.

15. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 1 wherein each of the power tools includes a lock-out circuit that disables functional circuitry of the power tool when the lock-out circuit is activated and wherein the control unit activates the lock-out circuit of a given power tool when the privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool are exceeded.

16. A power tool monitoring and security system, comprising:

a power tool assigned a unique identifier stored in an embedded RFID tag and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless RF communications link, wherein the power tool includes a lock-out circuit that disables functional circuitry of the power tool when the lock-out circuit is activated;

a data store for maintaining privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool; and

a control unit adapted to receive the identification signal from the power tool and monitor a position of the power tool within a job site location based on the identification signal, wherein the control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to activate the lock-out circuit when privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool are exceeded.

17. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 16 wherein the control unit deactivates the lock-out circuit when privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool are not exceeded.

18. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 16 wherein the control unit is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool are exceeded.

19. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 16 wherein the data store maintains a list of users authorized to use the power tool and privileges associated with the power tool for each of the authorized users and wherein the control unit is operable to activate the lock-out circuit when privileges associated with a given authorized user for the power tool are exceeded.

20. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 19 wherein the control unit deactivates the lock-out circuit when privileges associated with a given authorized user for the power tool are not exceeded.

21. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 19 wherein the control unit is operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given authorized user for the power tool are exceeded.

22. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 16 further comprises a data input device adapted to receive a personal identifier input by a user that uniquely identifies the user during an power tool check-out process.

23. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 22 wherein the data input device is operable to transmit the personal identifier to the data store and wherein the control unit associates the power tool with the user based on the personal identifier.

24. The power tool monitoring and security system of claim 16 wherein a privilege associated with the power tool for authorized users of the power tool limits authorized users to possession of the power tool within the job site location and wherein the control unit activates the lock-out circuit of the power tool when the power tool is located outside of the job site location.