System and method for generating an alert for a trailer

• US 8,004,403 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: McKethan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherwin; Ryan W
• Application Number:
  US12/721,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 340/431, 340/687, 340/425.5, 340/686.6, 340/426.19, 340/539.13, 340/429, 340/426.12, 340/539.15, 340/539.23, 701300-302
• US Class Current: 340/539.23
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network

Abstract

A system and method for generating an alert signal for a trailer. Proper truck/trailer matching is based on a proximity analysis between position reports for a truck and position reports for a trailer. In one embodiment, this proximity analysis is triggered by a detection of movement in a trailer. In the proximity analysis, unexpected deviations in proximity between a truck and a trailer would lead to a generation of an alert signal that is sent to the appropriate management system for investigation.

Claims

1. A system for generating an alert for an asset being transported, comprising:

a polling system that polls an asset transporter for a position;

a tracking system that receives a motion detection report from a mobile terminal affixed to said asset, wherein said tracking system alerts said polling system of motion of said asset, to initiate a polling of said asset transporter by said polling system; and

a proximity analysis system that determines whether a reported position of said asset transporter in response to a poll is in proximity to a reported position of said asset, said reported position of said asset being determined based on a satellite communication received from said mobile terminal, wherein if said reported position of said asset transporter is determined not to be in proximity to said reported position of said asset, said proximity analysis system generates an alert.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said proximity analysis system determines said proximity based on a measure of time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said proximity analysis system determines said proximity based on a measure of distance.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said tracking system receives said motion detection position report from said mobile terminal via a communication satellite.

5. A method of generating an alert for an asset, comprising:

receiving, via a communication satellite, a motion detection report from a mobile terminal affixed to said asset, said motion detection report including information that enables identification of a position of said asset;

requesting, in response to said received motion detection report, a position report from an asset transporter that has been identified as being assigned to transport said asset;

determining whether a reported position of said identified asset transporter, which is received in response to said request, is in proximity to said identification of said position of said asset; and

generating an alert if it is determined that said reported position of said identified asset transporter is not in proximity to said identified position of said asset.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said receiving comprises receiving a motion detection report that is generated based on a motion sensor condition.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said requesting comprising polling said asset transporter by a dispatch system.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining is based on a time elapsed from a time of departure of said trailer from an origin location.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining is based on a proximity radius from said reported position of said asset transporter.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining is based on a distance of said reported position of said asset transporter from an origin location.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining is based on a difference in time between a time of said identified position of said asset and a time of said reported position of said asset transporter.

12. A method of generating an alert for an asset being transported by an asset transporter, comprising:

receiving, via a satellite communication network, a motion detection report that indicates that an asset has moved, said motion detection report being generated based on a reading of a sensor attached to said asset;

identifying a position of an asset transporter that has been assigned to transport said asset, said identification being based on a position request that is transmitted in response to said received motion detection report;

determining whether said identified position of said asset transporter is in proximity to a position of said asset, said position of said asset being determined from position information contained in said received motion detection report; and

generating an alert if said identified position of said asset transporter is not in proximity to said determined position of said asset.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said identifying comprises polling said asset transporter via a dispatch system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining is based on a measure of time.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining is based on a measure of distance.