System and method for the monitoring of grouped objects

• US 8,223,730 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Hupp, Jürgen, Gehrmann, Volker, Pflaum, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh-Vu
• Application Number:
  US11/883,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20090213785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,365 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and a method for monitoring grouped objects with a gateway and a plurality of radio nodes attachable to the objects. Each radio node has a computing unit, a short-range communications unit and an energy supply unit. One of the radio nodes or the gateway has a localization unit. Optionally, one of the radio nodes also has a long-range communications unit. The computing unit contains a control program for the processing of predetermined tasks in radio nodes, which is designed for the control of bi-directional communications between the radio nodes via the short-range communications unit for the formation of an ad hoc network. The control program undertakes the control of a tuning process between the radio nodes and selects one of the radio nodes for the processing of one of the predetermined tasks, the selected node at that instant being best suited for the task according to predetermined criteria.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring objects within a group comprising:

a plurality of radio nodes each of which is attached to a respective one of the objects in the group;

at least one gateway that receives and transmits signals between the plurality of radio nodes and an information system,

wherein each radio node has

at least one computing unit,

a short-range communications unit for wireless communication with other radio nodes of the plurality of radio nodes and with the at least one gateway, and

an energy supply unit,

wherein at least one of the radio nodes or the at least one gateway has a localization unit,

wherein the computing unit contains at least one control program for processing predetermined tasks in the plurality of radio nodes, said control program controlling bi-directional communications between the plurality of radio nodes via the short-range communications unit for the formation of an ad hoc network and controlling bi-directional communications between the plurality of radio nodes and the at least one gateway via the short-range communications unit and controlling a tuning process between the plurality of radio nodes, said tuning process being executed at one of predetermined time intervals, predetermined times, according to a requirement received via the at least one gateway or by an event detected by one of the plurality of radio nodes in order to select one of the plurality of radio nodes for the processing of one of the predetermined tasks, where the selected radio node is best suited for the task according to predetermined criteria at the instant selection is made.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control program for the control of the tuning process selects the radio node with the largest energy reserve for communication with the gateway as a predetermined task.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control program for the control of the tuning process selects the radio node with the best reception conditions for communication with the gateway as a predetermined task.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control program for the control of the tuning process selects the radio node with the largest energy reserve for determination of a position with the localization unit as a predetermined task.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control program for the control of the tuning process selects the radio node with the best reception conditions for determination of a position with the localization unit as a predetermined task.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the group of objects to be monitored are goods in a logistical system.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control program contains modules for the processing of logistical tasks.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of radio nodes comprises the at least one gateway.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each radio node of the plurality of radio nodes has detection units for the monitoring of the objects.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of plurality of radio nodes has a localization unit and at least one of the radio nodes has a long-range communications unit where the control program of the computing unit controls bi-directional communications between the plurality of radio nodes and the at least one gateway via the long-range communications unit.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of plurality of radio nodes has a localization unit and at least one of the radio nodes has a long-range communications unit where the control program of the computing unit controls bi-directional communications between radio nodes and the at least one gateway via one of the short-range communications unit or the long-range communications unit.

12. A method for monitoring objects within a group with a system according to claim 1, said method comprising:

attaching each of the radio nodes to a respective one of the objects in the group;

initializing the radio nodes attached to the respective objects to form an ad hoc network;

selecting a radio node by the tuning process of the system at one of predetermined time intervals, predetermined times, according to a requirement received via the at least one gateway, or by an event detected by one of the plurality of radio nodes to determine a position of the radio node; and

transmitting the determined position of the radio node either directly or via one or a plurality of other radio nodes of the system to the at least one gateway.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of objects formed in a group are goods in a logistical system.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein after initializing the radio nodes for the formation of an ad hoc network, selecting a radio node of the ad hoc network by the tuning process so that the position of the radio node can be determined, and then the determined position is sent either directly or via at least one of the plurality of the other radio nodes to the gateway.