Determining asset location via local triangulation

• US 7,821,424 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Forlenza, Randolph Michael, Chen, Yen-Fu, Kalyanaraman, Raghuraman, Kaemmerer, John Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US12/267,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/429, 340/426.13, 340/426.16, 340/426.17, 340/426.15, 340/426.18, 340/426.19, 340/426.21, 340/426.22, 340/932.2, 342/126, 342/450, 342/457, 342/459, 342/462, 348/148, 348/152, 348/153
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2457 Lending systems using EAS tags wherein the tags are reusable, e.g. they can be activated and deactivated more than once, e.g. for a library
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0272 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect exact location of child or item using triangulation other than GPS

Abstract

An asset is located in a facility via triangulation. When the user enters the facility with the asset, the user receives a base and code from a base/code booth. The code may be stored on a removable card. The user secures the asset by entering the code. While the user is away from the facility, the base is monitored for movement detected by the motion sensor. When the user returns to the facility, a locator panel displays the location of the asset determined by triangulation using the locators.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining the location of an asset in a facility comprising:

a base;

a code specific to the base;

a locator panel in communication with a plurality of locators;

wherein the locator panel determines the location of the asset by using the locators to triangulate the position of the base;

wherein a user can determine the location of the asset using the code and the locator panel; and

wherein a construction material for the facility prevents transmission of signals out of or between floors of the facility; and

wherein each floor of the facility comprises at least three locators.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the asset is a vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the facility is a parking facility.

4. A program product for determining the location of an asset comprising:

a computer-usable medium;

wherein the computer usable medium comprises instructions for a processor to perform steps comprising;

accepting notification that a user has exited a facility;

determining whether the asset has been disturbed;

responsive to the determination that the asset has been disturbed, dispatching a security patrol to the asset;

determining whether the user has requested the location of the asset from a locator panel;

responsive to the determination that the user has requested the location of the asset from the locator panel, displaying the location of the asset on a display screen;

responsive to the determination that the user has requested the location of the asset from the locator panel, printing directions from the locator panel to the asset;

wherein the locator panel determines the location of the asset by recognizing a code; and

wherein the code is specific to a base in the asset and the base is specific to the code.

5. The program product of claim 4 further comprising:

determining whether the user has returned to the facility; and

responsive to the determination that the user has not returned to the facility and responsive to the determination that the asset has been disturbed, dispatching a security patrol to the asset.

6. The program product of claim 4 further comprising:

determining the location of the asset by triangulation using at least three locators.

7. The program product of claim 4 wherein a motion sensor indicates that the asset has been disturbed.

8. The program product of claim 4 wherein a glass breakage sensor indicates that the asset has been disturbed.

9. The program product of claim 4 further comprising:

accepting payment from the user.

10. The program product of claim 4 further comprising:

notifying the base that the user is returning to the asset.

11. The program product of claim 10 wherein upon notification that the user is returning to the asset, the base illuminates a light.

12. The program product of claim 4 wherein the asset is a vehicle.

13. The program product of claim 4 wherein the facility is a parking facility.