Method and system for managing geographically distributed resources

• US 8,907,784 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FM S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: FM S.r.l.
• Inventors: Cecchet, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/148,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20110309930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/573.1, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for managing geographically distributed resources, comprising a plurality of shoes associated with said resources; each pair of said plurality of shoes comprising an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising a control circuit for said electronic circuit; a locator module which provides the geographical coordinates to said control circuit; a radio communication system; said control system providing a plurality of information items to said communication system; said communication system comprising a first receiver-transmitter for sending said plurality of information items to a local concentrator; said local concentrator comprising a second receiver-transmitter for sending said plurality of information items to an operations center; said first receiver-transmitter sending said plurality of information items to a local concentrator periodically; said control circuit comprising an input connected to at least one sensor; said operations center displaying the location of each of said resources and the information items received from said at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A system for managing geographically distributed resources, comprising:

a plurality of shoes associated with said resources;

a local concentrator (31) external to said shoes, and a remote operation centre (32);

each pair of said plurality of shoes comprising an electronic circuit (1) placed in said shoes;

said electronic circuit (1) comprising a control circuit (11) for said electronic circuit (1);

a locator module (13) arranged to provide geographical coordinates to said control circuit (11); and

a radio communication system (12);

said control circuit (11) arranged to provide a plurality of information items to said radio communication system (12);

said radio communication system (12) comprising a first receiver-transmitter, for a wireless short range of communication, to send said plurality of information items to said local concentrator (31);

said local concentrator (31) is connected with said radio communication system (12);

said local concentrator (31) comprising a second receiver-transmitter, for a wireless long range of communication, arranged to send said plurality of information items to said operations centre (32);

said first receiver-transmitter sending said plurality of information items to said local concentrator (31) periodically;

said control circuit (11) comprising an input connected to at least one sensor (20);

said at least one sensor (20) comprises a meter for measuring the voltage of a battery (10) powering said electronic circuit (1);

said plurality of information items comprises said geographical coordinates which give the location of said control circuit (11) and the voltage of said battery (10);

said operations centre (32) displaying the location of each of said control circuit (11) and the voltage of said battery (10), so that said operations centre (32) reduce the transmission period of sending said plurality of information items from said first receiver-transmitter to said local concentrator (31) periodically, to control the battery consumption, and further modify the transmission period between the local concentrator (31) and the operations centre (32).

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized by comprising a magnetic switch (23) for switching said electronic circuit (1) on and off.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said magnetic switch (23) comprises an external tab sewn into the rear central part of the shoe, in which a magnet is inserted;

said tab having two operative positions, one being a rest position and one being positioned at said magnetic switch (23).

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said sensor (20) comprises one or more sensors chosen from altimeter, temperature indicator, pressure indicator, meter for measuring the voltage of a battery (10) powering said electronic circuit (1).

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said first receiver-transmitter is of ZigBee type.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said second receiver-transmitter is of GPRS type.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said locator (13) is a GPS locator.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said electronic circuit (1) is inserted into the upper inner rear part of said shoe.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said electronic circuit (1) comprises a printed circuit with support of rigid-flexible material divided into four vertical rigid zones;

the central zone comprising a magnetic switch.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said printed circuit is positioned in an enclosure made of silicone rubber.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said first receiver-transmitter receives information items from a plurality of said resources.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said local concentrator (31) is wearable.

13. A method for managing geographically distributed resources, comprising the steps of providing said resources with a plurality of shoes, said method comprising the following steps:

inserting an electronic circuit (1) in one of each pair of said plurality of shoes;

providing said electronic circuit (1) with the geographical coordinates of said at least one shoe by means of a locator module (13), placed in each pair of said plurality of shoes;

providing said electronic circuit (1) with the value of the voltage of a battery (10) for powering said electronic circuit (1);

communicating said geographical coordinates and said voltage value to a local concentrator (31) periodically by means of a wireless short range communication;

communicating said geographical coordinates and said voltage value from said local concentrator (31) to an operations centre (32), by means of a wireless long range communication;

said operations centre (32) displaying the location of each of said electronic circuit (1) and the voltage of said battery (10), so that said operations centre (32) reduces the transmission period of sending said plurality of information items from a first receiver-transmitter to said local concentrator (31) periodically, to control the battery consumption, and further modify the transmission period between the local concentrator (31) and the operations centre (32).