Integrated tracking system and method

• US 9,704,084 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wartsila Italia SPA (Wartsila Oyj Abp)
• Original Assignee: Wartsila Italia SPA (Wartsila Oyj Abp)
• Inventors: Nordlund, Bjarne, Helo, Petri
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US14/622,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• 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 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

An exemplary integrated tracking system tracks transported objects in a transportation system. The integrated tracking system includes a tracking device for providing at least location information of the at least one transported object. At least one processor unit generates and stores a predetermined model of transportation information of the at least one object. The predetermined model includes at least change-over location area information as the transportation information of the at least one transported object. The integrated tracking system includes at least two tracking sub-systems having the tracking device at least when the tracking device arrives in a change-over location area. The at least one processor unit integrates utilization of the at least location information from at least two tracking sub-systems by comparing at least location information from different tracking sub-systems to the predetermined model.

Claims

1. An integrated tracking system to track transported objects in a transportation system comprising:

means for providing at least location information of one or more transported objects; and

at least one processor unit configured to generate and store a predetermined model of transportation information of said at least one object containing the predetermined model, the model including at least change-over location area information as said transportation information of the at least one transported object, and the integrated tracking system includes at least two tracking sub-systems,

the at least two tracking sub-systems including;

a first tracking sub-system having a first tracking device for providing at least location information of said at least one transported object; and

a second tracking sub-system having a second tracking device for providing at least location information of the one or more transported objects,

wherein the integrated tracking system includes at least one processor unit to change tracking of the one or more transported objects from the first tracking sub-system to the second tracking sub-system when the one or more transported objects arrive at the change-over location area between the at least two tracking sub-systems on the basis of the provided location information,

wherein, in order to perform automatic change-overs, the processor unit is configured to send an off-signal to one of the first and second tracking devices for entering a hibernating state in the change-over location area between the tracking sub-systems on the basis of the provided location information, and send an on-signal to the other one of the first and second tracking devices to enter an active state in the change-over location area between the at least two tracking sub-systems on the basis of the provided location information, and

wherein the processor unit is configured to integrate utilization of said at least location information from the at least two tracking sub-systems by comparing at least location information from different tracking sub-systems of the at least two tracking sub-systems to information in said predetermined model to verify information by utilizing comparison methods between the provided information from the different tracking sub-systems.

2. An integrated tracking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the predetermined model includes timely planned transportation route information.

3. An integrated tracking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the integrated tracking system includes tracking sub-systems operating on different geographical areas.

4. An integrated tracking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tracking subsystems include means for providing at least humidity information as a part of said transportation information.

5. An integrated tracking system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the integrated tracking system includes at least one processor unit configured to set limit values of the transportation information in the predetermined model, and an alarm processor for comparing the transportation information to the limit values and for performing an alarm function in the integrated tracking system when the provided information exceeds one or more limit value.

6. A method for integrated tracking of transported objects during transport, the method comprising:

providing at least location information of at least one transported object;

generating and storing a predetermined model of transportation information of said at least one object, wherein the predetermined model includes change-over location area information as said transportation information of the at least one transported object;

providing at least location information of said at least one transported object between at least a first tracking sub-system and a second tracking sub-system;

changing tracking of the transported object from a first tracking sub-system to a second tracking sub-system when the transported object arrives to the change-over location area between the tracking sub-systems on the basis of the provided location information;

performing automatic change-overs from the first tracking sub-system to the second tracking sub-system by;

sending, via a processor unit, an off-signal to a first tracking device of the first tracking sub-system for entering a hibernation state in the change-over location area between the first and second tracking sub-systems on the basis of the provided location area information; and

sending an on-signal to a second tracking device of the second tracking sub-system for entering an active state in the change-over location area between the first and second tracking sub-systems on the basis of the provided location information;

integrating utilization of said at least location information from the at least two tracking sub-systems by comparing at least location information from different tracking sub-systems of the at least two tracking sub-systems to information in said predetermined model; and

verifying information by utilizing comparison methods between the provided information from different tracking sub-systems.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

generating and storing the predetermined model by generating timely planned transportation route information.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the tracking sub-systems operate on different geographical areas.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

providing at least humidity information as a part of said transportation information.

10. A method in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

setting limit values of the transportation information in the predetermined model;

comparing the provided information to the limit values; and

performing an alarm function when the provided information exceeds one or more limit values.