System and method for managing communication of a moveable entity for energy conservation

• US 8,626,107 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Yang, Gang, He, Bin, Zhang, Kankan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US12/810,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 4553431-3435, 455/574, 455/575.9, 701/209, 701/213, 701/25, 701/35, 701/1, 701/36, 701/200
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for managing communication of a movable entity is provided. The system comprises a chargeable power source, at least one sensor unit which is connected with the movable entity, and a global positioning device which is powered by the chargeable power source and is connected with the movable entity, wherein the global positioning device is used to track moveable entity status in response to sensor data received from said at least one sensor unit, the global positioning device is configured to execute a power saving mode based on moveable entity status information. The system and method save electric energy consumption of a battery for the GPS device by the mode switching between a sleep mode and a work mode, and judgment on the predetermined event provided may help to prevent the machine from being stolen.

Claims

1. A method for managing communication of a moveable entity having a global positioning device including a communication module and a position information module, the method comprising:

monitoring for an entity engine sensor signal when the moveable entity is powered off;

switching the global positioning device from a work mode to a sleep mode, including shutting down the communication module and the position information module;

utilizing a timer to activate the communication module after a pre-determined period of time while the position information module remains shut down;

monitoring for at least one signal from other components of the entity;

determining if a predetermined event happens; and

communicating with a remote controller system if the predetermined event happens.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising activating the global positioning device if the entity engine sensor signal is received.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising activating the global positioning device if a motion sensor signal is received.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined event includes illegally relocating the entity.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the illegal relocating is indicated by detection of signals from a motion sensor and an absence of the entity engine sensor signal.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-determined event includes a power storage of a power source of the global positioning device reaching a pre-set low level.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising communicating with the remote controller system to upload data when the global positioning device is activated at a required reporting time.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising switching the global positioning device between a work mode and a sleep mode based on the entity engine sensor signal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein communicating with the remote controller system if a predetermined event happens includes uploading data to the remote controller system when said predetermined event happens.