Kinematic asset management

• US 9,129,248 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, James C., Dennis, Gary, Iyer, Prakash
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/750,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20140209676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/375, 235/383, 235/381, 235/492, 235/493
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A system for managing kinematic assets is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises an electronic identification device associated with an asset. The system further comprises a container comprising a reader disposed within the container for receiving a unique identification of the identification device. The container further comprises a reader node for maintaining an inventory record comprising the asset and for generating a report when the asset is not detected by said reader. The report further comprises a location of the container when said report is generated. The system further comprises a kinematic asset management platform comprising an asset registry for storing data conveyed by the report and a reports engine for generating a second report conveying the location of said container when the report is generated.

Claims

1. A method for managing kinematic assets, said method comprising:

associating an identification device with an asset, said identification device comprising a unique identification;

establishing an association between said unique identification and a second unique identification of a fixed location;

maintaining a fixed location inventory comprising said asset by a reader node disposed within said fixed location;

transferring said asset from said fixed location inventory to a mobile location inventory maintained by a second reader node disposed within a mobile location;

detecting said unique identification using a reader disposed within said mobile location;

reporting said fixed location inventory to a kinematic asset management platform when said asset has been removed from said fixed location; and

reporting said mobile location inventory to said kinematic asset management platform when said asset has been added to said mobile location inventory.

2. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising:

reporting said fixed location inventory and said mobile location inventory to said kinematic asset management platform; and

storing said fixed location inventory and said mobile location inventory by said kinematic asset management platform.

3. The method recited in claim 2 further comprising:

simultaneously detecting by said reader disposed within said mobile location and a second reader, disposed within said fixed location, the presence of said asset; and

receiving by said kinematic asset management platform a first report from said mobile location of the detection of said asset by said mobile location and a second report by said fixed location of the detection of said asset by said fixed location.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining by said kinematic asset management platform that said asset is assigned to said mobile location;

receiving in said report a location of said mobile location when said asset is detected; and

disregarding said second report by said fixed location of the detection of said asset by said fixed location when reporting the location of said asset.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining by said kinematic asset management platform that said asset is assigned to said fixed location; and

disregarding said report by said mobile location of the detection of said asset by said mobile location when reporting the location of said asset.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a direction of travel of said asset by a plurality of readers coupled with said reader node;

reporting said direction of travel within said fixed location to said kinematic asset management platform;

determining by a kinematic asset management platform that said asset has been removed from said fixed location based at least in part upon said direction of travel of said asset within said fixed location; and

determining that said asset is within said mobile location based upon a report conveying to said kinematic asset management platform of the detection of said asset by at least one reader disposed within said mobile location.

7. The method recited in claim 1 further comprising:

using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver coupled with said mobile location to determine the location of said asset; and

conveying said location of said asset during said reporting of said mobile location inventory.

8. A system for managing kinematic assets comprising:

an identification device comprising a unique identification coupled with an asset said identification device comprising a unique identification;

a kinematic asset management platform which establishes an association between said unique identification and a second unique identification of a fixed location;

a reader node disposed within said fixed location which maintains an inventory comprising said asset and which reports said inventory to a kinematic asset management platform when said asset has been removed from said fixed location; and

a second reader node disposed within a mobile location wherein said asset is added to a second inventory maintained by said second reader node when said asset is transferred to said mobile location and wherein said second reader node reports said second inventory to said kinematic asset management platform when said asset has been added to said second inventory.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a plurality of readers coupled with said reader node for determining a direction of travel of said asset; and

a wireless transceiver for reporting said direction of travel within said fixed location to said kinematic asset management platform and wherein said wireless transceiver determines that said asset has been removed from said fixed location based at least in part upon said direction of travel of said asset within said fixed location and determines that said asset is within said mobile location based upon a report conveying to said kinematic asset management platform of the detection of said asset by at least one reader disposed within said mobile location.

10. The system recited in claim 8 wherein said kinematic asset management platform stores said inventory and said second inventory.

11. The system recited in claim 10 further comprising:

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver coupled with said mobile location to determine the location of said asset and wherein said second reader node conveys said location of said asset during said reporting of said second inventory.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said kinematic asset management platform is adapted to determined that said asset is assigned to said mobile location, receive in said report a location of said mobile location when said asset is detected, and disregard a second report by said fixed location of the detection of said asset by said fixed location when reporting the location of said asset.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said kinematic asset management platform is adapted to determine that said asset is assigned to said fixed location and then disregard a report by said mobile location of the detection of said asset by said mobile location when reporting the location of said asset.