Method and apparatus for tracking a transported item while accommodating communication gaps

• US 8,626,193 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Tech LLC (OnAsset Intelligence Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OnAsset Intelligence Incorporated
• Inventors: Crossno, Adam, Lutz, Bruce C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehra, Inder
• Application Number:
  US13/663,994
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/226.2, 455/552.1, 340/10.51, 340/657, 340/568.1, 340/539, 235/439, 235/385, 235/435
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for minimizing potential security problems and battery power usage in a tracking device used in tracking an associated product while being transported along a route wherein wireless communication may be nonexistent or intermittent. This is accomplished in part by having an accessible database of signal quality and strength at a large plurality of locations along given transportation routes whereby adjustments can be made as to the times for the tracking device to obtain GPS location information as well as for times to report any location and or product status data to a remotely located central station. The ability to predict when, along a transportation route communication problems may occur provides the opportunity to notify appropriate authorities in advance of arriving at the communication gap zones whereby arrangements can be made to alleviate potential problems during transportation through wireless communication “gap or dead” zones.

Claims

1. A method of calibrating a product tracking system used in connection with a transportation vehicle transporting a tracked product where the materials used in the transportation vehicle as well as details of construction of the transportation vehicle along with any products being transported by the transportation vehicle typically will modify the strength of the signal received by a tracking device used in association with a product being transported by said transportation vehicle whether said product is mounted upon or within the transportation vehicle as compared to the signal strength set forth in a reference database for a given location comprising:

assembling a reference database of communication reference signal strength characteristics at a plurality of locations along a given route of travel for use in a prediction algorithm of wireless communication gaps during transportation of at least one specific product tracking device being transported by a transportation vehicle along a given route of travel;

actuating an initialization communication between at least one specific product tracking device operated in conjunction with a transportation vehicle container and a wireless communication service wherein said one specific product tracking device is situated with respect to said container such that the one specific product tracking device received signal strength is modified with respect to the signal strength characteristics set forth in said database of communication reference signal strength characteristics for the location at which the initialization communication occurs, said location corresponding to one of said plurality of locations in said database;

determining the signal strength received by said at least one specific product tracking device from said presently used wireless communication service while said initialization communication is taking place, said signal strength as determined being designated as a at least one reference signal strength and further being indicative of signal strength received by said tracking device when said tracking device is situated in a travel ready position and condition with respect to said container; and

calibrating a product tracking system used in predicting the extent of wireless communication quality problems including data gap zones along said given route for said at least one specific product tracking device that is to be transported along said given route by using the difference between said at least one reference signal strength and said database of communication reference signal strength characteristics as a modification of data retrieved from said database by said prediction algorithm in conjunction with said at least one specific product tracking device while said to be monitored container is transported along said given route.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the tracking device and associated product has been placed in an appropriate spot of a transportation vehicle and is ready for transportation.

3. A method of calibrating a product tracking system for predicting the extent of cell phone type wireless communication data problem including data gap zones along a given route for at least one wireless communication device being transported along said given route comprising:

assembling a database of signal strength characteristics at a plurality of locations along said given route of travel;

actuating communication between a wireless communication tracking device, that has been placed in a container packed and ready for transportation, and a data communication receiving network, said communication occurring while said container is physically located in proximity to a given one of said locations of said database;

determining the signal strength received while in proximity to said given one location by at least one of said communication receiving network and said wireless communication tracking device;

comparing the determined signal strength by at least one of said communication receiving network and said wireless communication tracking device for a given location with said database signal strength for said given location to determine the difference in values;

determining the likelihood that said wireless communication tracking device will be subject to at least one of potential intermittent and lack of communication gaps as a function of received signal strength characteristics assembled in the database as adjusted by the difference in values as determined upon the step of comparing; and

notifying a predetermined entity that said wireless communication tracking device is likely to encounter communication coverage gaps along said given route of travel if so determined;

determining the likelihood that said wireless communication tracking device will be subject to at least one of potential intermittent and lack of communication gaps as a function of received signal strength characteristics assembled in the database as adjusted by the difference in values as determined upon the step of comparing; and

notifying a predetermined entity that said wireless communication tracking device is likely to encounter communication coverage gaps along said given route of travel if so determined.

4. A method of calibrating a product tracking system for at least one specific product tracking device used in connection with a transportation vehicle transporting a tracked product where the materials used in the transportation vehicle as well as details of construction of the transportation vehicle typically will modify the strength of the signal received by a tracking device whether mounted upon or within the transportation vehicle comprising:

accessing a database of communication reference signal strength characteristics at a plurality of locations along a given route of travel for use in a prediction algorithm of wireless communication gaps during transportation of said at least one specific product tracking device along said given route of travel;

communicating, with said at least one specific product tracking device associated with a product to be tracked and transported by a transportation vehicle and which transportation vehicle is physically located at a given location corresponding to one of said plurality of locations of said database of communication reference signal strength characteristics during said communicating, between said at least one specific product tracking device that has been placed in a travel ready position and location within or on said of a transportation vehicle and a communication network transceiver;

recording the signal strength received by one of said at least one specific product tracking device and said communication network transceiver, said signal strength received and recorded during the communicating while said at least one specific product tracking device is in said travel ready position and location being designated as a at least one reference signal strength; and

using the difference between said at least one reference signal strength and said database communication reference signal strength value of signal strength for that location as a modification of signal strength data retrieved from said database by said prediction algorithm for predictively determining whether or not said one specific product tracking device will be able to communicate with a communication network transceiver at any given location of said plurality of locations in said database while said container is transported along said given route.