Asset Monitoring Arrangement and Method

• US 20060220842A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Arrangement and method for monitoring an asset includes a location determining system and a self-powered interior sensor and communication system which data about contents in the interior of the asset and transmits the data and the location of the asset. It includes a transmitter and receiver for communicating directly with a wireless ISP such that the data about the contents and the location of the asset are available to a user having access to the Internet and a user having access to the Internet can direct communications to the interior sensor and communications system. A triggering device is coupled to the interior sensor and communication system and arranged to detect an event which might cause a change in the contents or condition of the asset. The triggering device directs the interior sensor and communication system to obtain data about the contents when such an event is detected.

Claims

1. An asset including an arrangement for monitoring the asset and an interior of the asset, comprising:

a location determining system arranged at least in part on the asset, said location determining system being arranged to determine the location of the asset; and

a self powered interior sensor and communication system arranged on the asset, said interior sensor and communication system being arranged to obtain data about contents in the interior of the asset and transmit data about the contents in the interior of the asset and the location of the asset,

said interior sensor and communication system comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating directly with a wireless Internet service provider such that the data about the contents in the interior of the asset and the location of the asset is available to a user having access to the Internet and a user having access to the Internet can direct communications to said interior sensor and communications system.

2. The asset of claim 1, wherein said location determining system includes a first component on the asset which obtains GPS satellite information and a processing component apart from the asset which processes the GPS satellite information.

3. The asset of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is arranged to transmit only to a non- satellite ISP.

4. The asset of claim 1, further comprising a triggering device coupled to said interior sensor and communication system and arranged to detect one of a set of one or more predetermined events which might cause a change in the contents of the asset or the condition of the asset, said triggering device being arranged to direct said interior sensor and communication system to obtain data about the contents when such an event is detected.

5. The asset of claim 4, wherein said interior sensor and communication system comprises an infrared camera arranged to obtain an infrared image of an interior or exterior of the asset when such an event is detected and is arranged to transmit the image to the wireless ISP with the data about the contents.

6. The asset of claim 1, wherein said interior sensor and communication system comprises an infrared camera arranged to obtain an infrared image of an interior or exterior of the asset and is arranged to transmit the image to the wireless ISP, the image being the data obtained by said interior sensor and communication system.

7. The asset of claim 1, wherein said interior sensor and communication system is arranged to obtain data by receiving waves or energy and process the received waves or energy into data.

8. The asset of claim 1, further comprising an energy generating system arranged on the asset for generating energy to power the part of said location determining system on the asset and said interior sensor and communication system, said energy generating system being arranged to generate energy from movement of the asset or a part thereof or the environment of the asset.

9. The asset of claim 1, further comprising at least one environment sensor adapted to be arranged on the asset, said at least one environment sensor being arranged to obtain data about the environment in which the asset is located different than the location of the asset, said interior sensor and communication system being coupled to said at least one environment sensor and transmitting the data about the environment in which the asset is located to the wireless ISP.

10. The asset of claim 1, wherein said interior sensor and communication system includes a plurality of batteries for providing power to components in said interior sensor and communication system.

11. The asset of claim 1, wherein said interior sensor and communication system is provided with an Internet protocol (IP) address such that transmission from said interior sensor and communication system are associatable with an identification of the asset.

12. An asset including an arrangement for monitoring the asset and an interior of the asset, comprising:

a frame;

a location determining system mounted to said frame and arranged to determine the location of the asset;

an interior sensor system mounted to said frame and arranged to obtain data about contents in the interior of the asset; and

a communication system coupled to said interior sensor system and said location determining system, said communication system being mounted to said frame and arranged to transmit data about the contents in the interior of the asset and the location of the asset,

said communication system comprising a transmitter and receiver for communicating directly with a wireless Internet service provider such that the data about the contents in the interior of the asset and the location of the asset is available to a user having access to the Internet and a user having access to the Internet can direct communications to said interior sensor and communications system.

13. The asset of claim 12, further comprising a triggering device coupled to said interior sensor system and arranged to detect one of a set of one or more predetermined events which might cause a change in the contents of the asset or the condition of the asset, said triggering device being arranged to direct said interior sensor system to obtain data about the contents when such an event is detected.

14. The asset of claim 12, further comprising an energy generating system mounted to said frame for generating energy to power said location determining system, said interior sensor system and said communication system, said energy generating system being arranged to generate energy from movement of the asset or a part thereof or the environment of the asset.

15. The asset of claim 12, wherein said communication system is provided with an Internet protocol (IP) address such that transmission from said communication system are associatable with an identification of the asset.

16. A method for monitoring the asset and an interior of the asset, comprising:

performing a data gathering stage by determining the location of the asset and obtaining data about contents in the interior of the asset;

after the data gathering stage, transmitting data about the contents in the interior of the asset and the location of the asset directly to a wireless Internet service provider (ISP);

enabling a user to access the data transmitted to the ISP; and

enabling a user to direct communications to the asset to cause the effecting of the data gathering stage.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating energy to power systems that determine the location of the asset and obtain data about contents in the interior of the asset from movement of the asset or the environment of the asset.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling the user to direct communications to the asset to cause adjustment of operating parameters of at least one of a system which determines the location of the asset and a system which obtains data about the contents of the asset.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

predetermining one or more events to initiate performance of the data gathering stage; and

performing the data gathering stage only after detecting one of the predetermined events.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising associating an Internet protocol (IP) address with the asset such that data transmitted to the ISP from the asset is associated with the IP address and an identification of the asset is derivable from the IP address.