Electronic device for tracking and monitoring assets

• US 20060195261A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Homeland Integrated Security Systems, Inc. (Grupo Resilient International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Homeland Integrated Security Systems, Inc. (Grupo Resilient International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Riley, Joshua Ian
• Application Number:
  US11/350,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195261A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide for an electronic device for tracking assets. In one embodiment, the device comprises a single board computer adapted to communicate with a network, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. In another embodiment the device comprises a computer having over-the-air programming functionality, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. Embodiments of the present invention also provide for a system for tracking assets comprising a network and a single board computer in communication with the network, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. Embodiments of the present invention further provide for a system of stack charging an electronic device in a plurality of orientations. Embodiments of the present invention additionally provide for a method of securing a facility comprising the steps of issuing a tracking device to an asset by automated kiosk upon arrival at the facility, linking the tracking device to the asset, and monitoring the asset with the tracking device.

Claims

1. An electronic device for tracking assets comprising:

a single board computer adapted to communicate with a network, the computer comprising;

a location component; and

a communication component.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the location component and the communication component are part of a single module.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the communication component includes a wireless modem.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the wireless modem includes an integrated digital enhanced network modem.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein the electronic device has push-to-talk functionality.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the wireless modem includes a global system for mobile communications modem.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising an antenna.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer has over-the-air programming functionality.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a durable enclosure.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag.

16. A system for tracking assets comprising:

a network; and

a single board computer in communication with the network, the computer comprising;

a location component; and

a communication component.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the location component and the communication component are part of a single module.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the communication component includes a wireless modem.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the wireless modem includes an integrated digital enhanced network modem.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the electronic device has push-to-talk functionality.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the network includes an integrated digital enhanced network.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the wireless modem includes a global system for mobile communications modem.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the network includes a global system for mobile communications network.

29. The system of claim 16 further comprising an antenna.

30. The system of claim 16 wherein the network assigns the electronic device an Internet protocol address.

31. The system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer communicates with the network via transmission control protocol with Internet protocol.

32. The system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer has over-the-air programming functionality.

33. The system of claim 16 further comprising a durable enclosure.

34. The system of claim 16 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag.

35. An electronic device for tracking assets comprising:

a computer, the computer comprising;

a location component; and

an integrated digital enhanced network modem.

36. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the location component and the integrated digital enhanced network modem are part of a single module.

37. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory.

38. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality.

39. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment.

40. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver.

41. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer has over-the-air programming functionality.

42. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer has push-to-talk functionality.

43. The electronic device of claim 42 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer.

44. The electronic device of claim 35 further comprising an antenna.

45. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the device has stack charging capability in a plurality of orientations.

46. The electronic device of claim 35 further comprising a durable enclosure.

47. The electronic device of claim 35 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag.

48. An electronic device for tracking assets comprising:

a computer having over-the-air programming functionality, the computer comprising;

a location component; and

a communication component.

49. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the location component and the communication component are part of a single module.

50. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory.

51. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality.

52. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment.

53. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver.

54. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the device has stack charging capability in a plurality of orientations.

55. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the electronic device has push-to-talk functionality.

56. The electronic device of claim 55 wherein the communication component includes an integrated digital enhanced network modem.

57. The electronic device of claim 56 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer.

58. The electronic device of claim 48 wherein the communication component includes a global system for mobile communications modem.

59. The electronic device of claim 48 further comprising an antenna.

60. The electronic device of claim 48 further comprising a durable enclosure.

61. The electronic device of claim 48 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag.

62. A system for stack charging an electronic device in a plurality of orientations comprising:

a charger having a plurality contacts; and

an electronic device having a plurality of nodes, the nodes arranged so that at least one node is adjacent to at least one positive contact and at least one different node is adjacent to at least one negative contact in each orientation.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein the plurality of nodes includes a first node arranged opposite from a second node and a third node arranged opposite from a fourth node.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein the electronic device includes a diode bridge for ensuring the correct polarity of a voltage.

65. A method of securing a facility comprising the steps of:

issuing a tracking device to an asset by an automated kiosk upon arrival at the facility;

linking the tracking device to the asset; and

monitoring the asset with the tracking device.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the automated kiosk includes a charger.

67. The method of claim 65 wherein the linking step comprises the steps of:

recording information identifying the asset;

recording information identifying the tracking device; and

associating the information identifying the asset with the information identifying the tracking device.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein the information identifying the tracking device is stored in a radio frequency identification tag that is part of the tracking device.

69. The method of claim 65 wherein the monitoring is facilitated by a network in communication with the tracking device.