System and method for asset tracking configuration of a mobile terminal

• US 9,470,797 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walgren, Mike, Malone, Craig, Akbari, Homaira
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US14/478,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.26, 342/357.34, 342/357.51, 342/357.63, 342/357.74, 342/457, 701/468, 701/469, 340/539.13, 340/539.14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

Various implementations of the invention comprise a position tracking module, a transmitter, and a controller. The position tracking module collects measurements from a plurality of positioning satellites, where the collected measurements may be used to determine a position of said mobile terminal. The transmitter transmits status reports to an operations center. The controller controls an activation of the transmitter based on an analysis of a geographic cost function, where the geographic cost function identifies a geographic area in which the controller alters a communication parameter of the mobile terminal. The alteration of the communication parameter may be used by the operations center as a basis for a change in a billing rate during at least part of a time that the mobile terminal is resident within the geographic area.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a position tracking module that collects measurements from a plurality of positioning satellites, the collected measurements used to determine a position of said mobile terminal;

a transmitter that is configured to transmit status reports to an operations center; and

a controller that is configured to control an activation of the transmitter based on an analysis of a geographic cost function, the geographic cost function configured to identify a geographic area in which the controller alters a communication parameter of the mobile terminal, the alteration of the communication parameter used by the operations center as a basis for a change in a billing rate during at least part of a time that the mobile terminal is resident within the geographic area.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the communication parameter is a pre-emption of transmission to the operations center.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the communication parameter is a reporting interval.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the communication parameter is a communication data rate.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the communication parameter is a message type priority.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein an input to the geographic cost function is a geographic location determined using measurements of the position tracking module.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit position information to the operations center via a communication satellite.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit position information to the operations center via a terrestrial cellular network.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit position information to the operations center via a short range radio network.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit sensor measurement information to the operations center.

11. A method, comprising:

measuring, by a position tracking module in a mobile terminal, measurements of signals from a plurality of positioning satellites, the measurements used to determine a position of the mobile terminal;

transmitting, by a transmitter in the mobile terminal, status reports to an operations center; and

controlling, by a controller in the mobile terminal, an activation of the transmitter based on an analysis of a geographic cost function, the geographic cost function configured to identify a geographic area in which the controller alters a communication parameter of the mobile terminal, the alteration of the communication parameter used by the operations center as a basis for a change in a billing rate during at least part of a time that the mobile terminal is resident within the geographic area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication parameter is a pre-emption of transmission to the operations center.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication parameter is a reporting interval.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication parameter is a communication data rate.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication parameter is a message type priority.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein an input to the geographic cost function is a geographic location determined using measurements of the position tracking module.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting position information to the operations center via a communication satellite.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting position information to the operations center via a terrestrial cellular network.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting position information to the operations center via a short range radio network.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting sensor measurement information to the operations center.