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Device, system and method for tracking mobile assets

  • US 7,978,065 B2
  • Filed: 09/12/2007
  • Issued: 07/12/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A device for attaching to an outside surface of a shipping container for tracking the shipping container, comprising:

  • a solar panel for converting light-energy into electrical power;

    a battery for receiving and storing said electrical power from said solar panel;

    a GPS receiver module for receiving signals from a global positioning system and determining a location of said shipping container;

    a cellular data transceiver module for communicating via a cellular data network;

    a microcontroller for controlling said GPS receiver module and said cellular data transceiver module to periodically obtain said location of said shipping container from said GPS receiver module, and to transmit said location using said cellular data transceiver module;

    wherein said solar panel, said battery, said GPS receiver module, said cellular data transceiver module, and said microcontroller are integrated into a master control unit attached to an outside surface of the shipping container without penetrating into an interior of the shipping containera local wireless network master transceiver module integrated into said master control unit, said local wireless network master transceiver module having a transceiver for wirelessly communicating with a wireless sensor located within said shipping container through walls of the shipping container without any holes through the walls of the shipping container, said microcontroller further for controlling said local wireless network master transceiver module to periodically obtain data from said wireless sensor, and transmit said data using said cellular data transceiver module;

    a battery charging circuit integrated into said master control unit, said battery charging circuit being controlled by said microcontroller for charging said battery with said electrical power from said solar panel; and

    a fuel gauge circuit integrated into said master control unit, said fuel gauge circuit for communicating a power level of the battery to the microcontroller, said microcontroller turning off said cellular data transceiver module except when the device needs to transmit data when the power level of the battery drops below a first predetermined threshold, said microcontroller further turning off said GPS receiver module and said local wireless network master transceiver module when the power level of the battery drops below a second predetermined threshold.

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