Method and system for asset tracking

• US 20030050038A1
• Filed: 08/19/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Peterco Holdings Ltd.
• Inventors: Haave, Luther, Davies, Ric, Haave, Kristoffer
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

An asset tracking and panic alarm system includes: a tracking device for mounting in an asset; a panic alarm pendant for carrying by a person; a RF receiver module for mounting in the asset for receiving a panic alarm signal from the pendant; and, a server coupled to a cellular telephone network and to a client terminal; the server including means for receiving the panic alarm indication and GPS information from the tracking device via the cellular telephone network; the server including means for determining a location of the asset from the GPS information: the client terminal for displaying the panic alarm indication and the location to a user, thereby notifying the user that the person has activated the panic alarm switch within a predetermined radius from the asset.

Claims

1. An asset tracking system comprising:

a tracking device for mounting in an asset for receiving a panic alarm indication and for communicating GPS information and said panic alarm indication over a cellular telephone network;

a panic alarm pendant for carrying by a first user for transmitting a panic alarm signal;

a RF receiver module for mounting in said asset for receiving said panic alarm signal from said pendant and for generating said panic alarm indication when within a predetermined radius; and

,

a server coupled to said cellular telephone network for receiving said panic alarm indication and said GPS information and for displaying said panic alarm indication and a location to a second user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said tracking device includes:

a GPS receiver module coupled to a GPS antenna;

said GPS antenna for receiving GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters;

said GPS receiver module including means for providing said GPS information for determining said location of said tracking device and hence said asset;

a cellular modem coupled to a cellular antenna for communicating with said cellular telephone network;

an input for receiving said panic alarm indication; and

,

a microcontroller coupled to said GPS receiver module, to said cellular modern, and to said input;

said microcontroller including means for receiving said panic alarm indication, for controlling said GPS receiver module to provide said GPS information, for receiving said GPS information, and for controlling said cellular modem to communicate said panic alarm indication and said GPS information to said cellular telephone network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said panic alarm pendant includes:

a panic alarm switch for activation by said person in the event of a panic alarm situation; and

,

a RE transmitter module coupled to said panic alarm switch for transmitting said panic alarm signal upon activation of said panic alarm switch.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said RF receiver module includes:

means for generating said panic alarm indication from said panic alarm signal;

said RF receiver module coupled to said input for providing said panic alarm indication.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said server includes:

a client terminal;

means for receiving said panic alarm indication and said OPS information from said cellular telephone network; and

,

means for determining said location of said asset from said GPS information.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said asset includes a motor vehicle, train car, and vessel.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said client terminal is coupled to said server by a first computer network.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said first computer network is the Internet.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said client terminal includes a web browser for interrogating said server;

said web browser providing a graphical user interface for said user at said client terminal.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said server includes at least one web page for providing to said client terminal when said server is interrogated by said web browser.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said web page includes a digital map for displaying said location to said user.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said cellular modern communicates over at least one control channel of said cellular telephone network.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said cellular telephone network is coupled to said server by a second computer network.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said second computer network includes a virtual carrier server for providing access to said control channel of said cellular telephone network.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said second computer network includes the Internet.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said tracking device includes a power supply for supplying power to said GPS receiver module, said cellular modem, said microcontroller, and said RF receiver module.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said power supply includes a backup battery.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said pendant includes a battery for supplying power to said RF transmitter module.

19. An asset tracking system comprising:

a tracking device for mounting in an asset;

said device including;

a GPS receiver module coupled to a GPS antenna;

said GPS antenna for receiving GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters;

said GPS receiver module including means for providing GPS information for determining the location of said tracking device and hence said asset;

a cellular modem coupled to a cellular antenna for communicating with a cellular telephone network;

an input for receiving a component operating indication from a component of said asset;

said component operating indication indicating that said component is operating;

a microcontroller coupled to said GPS receiver module, to said cellular modem, and to said input;

said microcontroller including a counter for recording a period of time said component has operated from said component operating indication;

said microcontroller including means for receiving said component operating indication, for controlling said counter, for controlling said GPS receiver module to provide said GPS information, for receiving said GPS information, and for controlling said cellular modem to communicate said component operating indication, said period of time, and said GPS information to said cellular telephone network; and

,

a server coupled to said cellular telephone network and to a client terminal;

said server including means for receiving said component operating indication, said period of time, and said GPS information from said cellular telephone network;

said server including means for determining a location of said asset from said GPS information;

said client terminal for displaying said component operating indication, said period of time, and said location to a user, thereby allowing said user to monitor said component.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said asset includes a motor vehicle, a train car, and a vessel.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said component includes an engine, a motor, and a pump.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said component operating indication is an ignition on voltage.

23. A method for configuring an asset tracking device comprising the steps of:

accessing a server from a client;

providing a serial number from said client to said server;

said serial number uniquely associated with said asset tracking device;

interrogating said server based on said serial number;

transmitting configuration information from said server to said client in response to said step of interrogating;

displaying said configuration information at said client so that a user can review and selectively modify said configuration information;

modifying said configuration information at said client to produce modified configuration information;

said modified configuration information representing changes to the configuration of said asset tracking device;

transmitting said modified information from said client to said server;

analyzing said modified configuration information at said server to produce processed configuration information and storing said processed configuration information in a database associated with said server; and

,

transmitting said processed configuration information from said server to said asset tracking device, thereby configuring said asset tracking device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said client and said server are connected to a computer network and wherein said step of accessing filter comprises the step of:

using a web browser to interrogate said server, said web browser providing a graphical user interface for said user at said client.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said computer network is the Internet and wherein said step of accessing further comprises the step of:

providing a web page from said server to said client after said web browser interrogates said server.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said web page provides means for said user to identify said asset tracking device and wherein said step of providing a serial number further comprises the step of:

transmitting said serial number from said client to said server using said means for said user to identify said asset tracking device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said server is connected to a cellular telephone network and wherein said step of transmitting said processed configuration information from said server to said asset tracking device further comprises the steps of:

receiving said serial number at said server;

identifying said asset tracking device based on said serial number; and

,

transmitting a configuration signal to said asset tracing device using said cellular telephone network.

28. A method for monitoring alarm indications generated by an asset tracking device comprising the steps of:

accessing a server from a client;

providing a serial number from said client to said server;

said serial number uniquely associated with said asset tracking device;

interrogating said asset tracking device from said server based on said serial number;

transmitting alarm indication information from said asset tracking device to said server in response to said step of interrogating;

analyzing said alarm indication information at said server to produce processed alarm indication information and storing said processed alarm indication information in a database associated with said server;

said processed alarm indication information representing the status of at least one alarm indication generated by said asset tracking device;

transmitting said processed alarm indication information from said server to said client; and

displaying said processed alarm indication information at said client so that a user can identify changes in status of said alarm indication.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said client and said server are connected to a computer network and wherein said step of accessing further comprises the step of:

using a web browser to interrogate said server;

said web browser providing a graphical user interface for said user at said client.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said computer network is the Internet and wherein said step of accessing further comprises the step of:

providing a web page front said server to said client after said web browser interrogates said server.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said web page provides means for said user to identify said asset tracking device and wherein said step of providing a serial number further comprises the step of:

transmitting said serial number from said client to said server using said means for said user to identify said asset tracking device.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said server is connected to a cellular telephone network and wherein said step of interrogating said asset tracking device firer comprises the steps of:

receiving said serial number at said server;

identifying said asset tracking device based on said serial number; and

,

transmitting an alarm indication signal to said asset tracing device using said cellular telephone network.