Asset monitoring and tracking system

• US 8,334,773 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Deal Magic Inc., Savi Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Cova, Nicholas D., Smith, Neil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/560,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/10.1, 235/385, 705/9, 705/28
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

Techniques for monitoring and tracking assets and providing notifications to users are disclosed. In one aspect, a request to track an asset and enterprise data describing the asset are received, a tag is selected to associate with the asset, an event notification is received from the tag, and a user notification is generated from the event notification and the enterprise data. In another aspect, a request for a tag is received, a tag is selected in response to the request, a tag is routed to the origin location for the tag, a notification is received that the tag has arrived at a destination location, and the tag is routed from the destination location to a tag pool.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first request for a tag device, the first request specifying a first origin location where the tag device will be coupled to an asset and one or more monitoring requirements for the tag device;

selecting a tag device from one or more tag devices in a tag pool in response to the request;

configuring the selected tag device to monitor the asset based on the monitoring requirements;

routing the tag device from a first tag pool location to the first origin location;

receiving a notification that the tag device has arrived at a destination location where the tag device is decoupled from the asset;

routing the tag device from the destination location to a second tag pool location;

receiving a second request for a tag device, the request specifying a second origin location; and

routing the tag device to the second origin location in response to the second request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring requirements specify a temperature threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring requirements specify a backhaul interval.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the tag device once the tag device arrives at the second tag pool location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein processing the tag device includes doing a backhaul of data stored on the tag device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein processing the tag device includes doing a health check of the tag device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a tag device in the tag pool is damaged, and then routing the damaged tag device to a tag repairer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a tag device in the tag pool is defective, and then disposing of the defective tag device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the tag device includes using received tag requests and forecasted tag requests to select the tag device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining export clearance for the selected tag device.

11. A tag pool management system comprising:

a request module configured to receive a request for a tag device, the request specifying an origin location where the tag device will be coupled to an asset and one or more monitoring requirements for the tag device;

a tag selection module configured to select a tag device from one or more tag devices in a tag pool in response to the request and configure the selected tag to monitor the asset based on the monitoring requirements;

a tag routing module configured to route the tag device from a first tag pool location to the origin location, and to route the tag device from a destination location to a second tag pool location; and

a notification module configured to receive a notification that the tag device has arrived at the destination location where the tag device is decoupled from the asset.