Wake interval adjustment based on charge level

• US 7,546,477 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Phelan, James Daniel, Breen, Thomas Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Du; Thuan N
• Application Number:
  US11/648,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 713/323, 713/340, 340/572.1, 320/132, 324/433
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for adjusting a wake interval in a telematics device having a charge sensor. The telematics device cyclically provides full power from a power supply during a wake duration, and limited power from the power supply during the wake interval. A charge level for a battery of the power supply is determined using the charge sensor. The wake interval is adjusted based on the charge level.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a wake interval in a telematics device having a charge sensor, comprising:

cyclically providing full power from a power supply during a wake duration, and limited power from the power supply during the wake interval;

determining a charge level for a battery of the power supply using the charge sensor;

storing the charge level;

comparing the charge level to a previously stored charge; and

adjusting the wake interval based on the charge level;

wherein adjusting the wake interval comprises;

increasing the wake interval responsively to a charge level decrease; and

decreasing the wake interval responsively to a charge level increase that is proportionately greater than the charge level decrease.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

skipping the adjusting step if the charge level is substantially the same as the previously stored charge level.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the wake interval comprises:

decreasing the wake duration responsively to a charge level decrease.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the wake interval comprises:

increasing the wake duration responsively to a charge level increase.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting the wake interval is performed during the wake duration.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

alerting a control station to a duty cycle adjustment.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an asset position during the wake duration.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

decreasing the wake interval to zero if the power supply is receiving external power.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

decreasing the wake interval to a predetermined minimum wake interval if the power supply is receiving external power and if the charge level is high.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the power supply is not receiving external power and if the charge level is near zero:

increasing the wake interval to a predetermined maximum wake interval;

decreasing the wake duration; and

alerting a control station, during the wake duration, to a distressed battery condition.

11. A system for adjusting a wake interval in a telematics device, comprising:

a power supply configured to provide power to a location device and a communications system;

a controller operably coupled to the location device, to the communications system, to the power supply, and to a charge sensor adapted to provide charge level information to the controller for a battery of the power supply;

wherein the controller is configured to permit the power supply to provide fill power to the location device and the communications system during a wake duration, and not to permit the power supply to provide full power to the location device and the communications system during the wake interval;

wherein the controller comprises a memory capable of storing the charge level information;

wherein the controller is adapted to compare the charge level information to previously stored charge level information;

wherein the controller is adapted to adjust the wake interval responsively to the charge level information; and

wherein the controller is adapted to increase the wake interval responsively to a charge level decrease, and to decrease the wake interval responsively to a charge level increase that is proportionately greater than the charge level decrease.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the

power supply provides limited power to the location device and the communications system.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to decrease the wake duration responsively to a charge level decrease.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to increase the wake duration responsively to a charge level increase.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to adjust the wake interval during the wake duration.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to transmit an alert through the communications system to a control station, the alert comprising duty cycle adjustment information.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to transmit an asset position through the communications system to a control station during the wake duration.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to decrease the wake interval to zero when the power supply receives external power.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to decrease the wake interval to a predetermined minimum wake interval when the power supply receives external power and the charge level is high.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted, when the power supply is not receiving external power and the charge level is near zero, to increase the wake interval to a predetermined maximum wake interval, to decrease the wake duration, and to transmit an alert through the communications system to a control station during the wake duration, the alert comprising a distressed battery indication.