SYSTEM FOR ASSET TRACKING

• US 20070021100A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Longview Advantage Incorporated (GeoTab Incorporated)
• Inventors: HAAVE, LUTHER, DAVIES, RIC, HAAVE, KRISTOFFER
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.200
• 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 system includes a tracking device for mounting on an asset. The tracking device has a GPS receiving device for receiving GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters. A tracking device communication device and a microcontroller are connected with both the GPS receiving device and the tracking device communication device for controlling the tracking device. Further, a tracking device management system is provided comprising a tracking system server, a management system communication device and a management system communication interface for interfacing with the management system communication device and the tracking system server. A tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device enables the tracking device management system to communicate with the tracking device. A customer communication link between a customer and the management system communication interface enables the customer to communicate with the tracking device management system.

Claims

1. An asset tracking system comprising:

(a) a tracking device for mounting on an asset, the tracking device comprising;

(i) a GPS receiving device for receiving GPS signals from GPS satellite transmitters;

(ii) a tracking device communication device; and

(iii) a microcontroller connected with both the GPS receiving device and the tracking device communication device, for controlling the tracking device;

(b) a tracking device management system comprising;

(i) a tracking system server comprising a database for storing data pertaining to the asset tracking system;

(ii) a management system communication device; and

(iii) a management system communication interface for interfacing with the management system communication device and the tracking system server;

(c) a tracking device communication link between the tracking device communication device and the management system communication device to enable the tracking device management system to communicate with the tracking device; and

(d) a customer communication link between a customer of the asset tracking system and the management system communication interface to enable the customer to communicate with the tracking device management system.

2. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the customer communication link is accessed by the customer following successful completion of a login procedure.

3. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the login procedure establishes a plurality of different access levels for the customer communication link.

4. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the customer communication link enables the customer to modify the database.

5. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the customer communication link enables the customer to configure the tracking device.

6. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the customer communication link enables the customer to transmit commands to the tracking device through the tracking device communication link.

7. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the customer communication link enables the customer to receive data from the tracking device through the tracking device communication link.

8. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the customer communication link is comprised of a telecommunication link.

9. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the customer communication link is comprised of a telephone link.

10. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the customer communication link is comprised of a computer network.

11. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the management system communication interface is comprised of a tracking device management web interface.

12. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the tracking device management system is further comprised of a tracking device management website and wherein the tracking device management web interface is comprised of the tracking device management website.

13. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device is configured to transmit a message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link.

14. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the message is an alarm message and wherein the alarm message is transmitted upon the occurrence of an alarm event.

15. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the alarm event is comprised of a movement of the tracking device outside of a permitted area.

16. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the alarm event is comprised of a panic alarm.

17. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a panic alarm device associated with the tracking device, wherein the panic alarm is comprised of a signal which is transmitted by the panic alarm device and which is received by the tracking device.

18. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the panic alarm device is associated with the tracking device by a wireless communication link.

19. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the tracking device is further comprised of two contacts and wherein the alarm event is comprised of a contact closure experienced by the two contacts.

20. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the tracking device management system is configured to transmit a message receipt confirmation through the tracking device communication link to the tracking device in response to the message.

21. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the tracking device is further configured to re-transmit the message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if the tracking device does not receive the message receipt confirmation within a selected message confirmation time.

22. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the tracking device management system is configured to transmit an alarm message receipt confirmation through the tracking device communication link to the tracking device in response to the alarm message.

23. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the tracking device is further configured to re-transmit the alarm message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if the tracking device does not receive the alarm message receipt confirmation within a selected alarm message confirmation time.

24. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device is configured to transmit a message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link, wherein the tracking device management system is configured to transmit a message receipt confirmation to the tracking device through the tracking device communication link in response to the message, and wherein the tracking device is configured to implement a message transmitting procedure comprising the following steps:

(a) transmitting the message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link;

(b) waiting for a selected message confirmation time for receipt of the message receipt confirmation from the tracking device management system;

(c) re-transmitting the message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if the message receipt confirmation is not received from the tracking device management system within the message confirmation time; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until either the message receipt confirmation has been received from the tracking device management system or the message has been sent and re-sent a selected number of times.

25. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the tracking device is further configured to wait for a selected waiting period and to implement the message transmitting procedure again if the message receipt confirmation has not been received from the tracking device management system.

26. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 24 wherein the tracking device is further configured to repeat a cycle of waiting for a selected waiting period and implementing the message transmitting procedure until the message receipt confirmation is received from the tracking device management system.

27. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device is configured to transmit an alarm message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link upon the occurrence of an alarm event, wherein the tracking device management system is configured to transmit an alarm message receipt confirmation to the tracking device through the tracking device communication link in response to the alarm message, and wherein the tracking device is configured to implement an alarm message transmitting procedure comprising the following steps:

(a) transmitting the alarm message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link;

(b) waiting for a selected alarm message confirmation time for receipt of the alarm message receipt confirmation from the tracking device management system;

(c) re-transmitting the alarm message to the tracking device management system through the tracking device communication link if the alarm message receipt confirmation is not received from the tracking device management system within the alarm message confirmation time; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until either the alarm message receipt confirmation has been received from the tracking device management system or the alarm message has been sent and re-sent a selected number of times.

28. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the tracking device is further configured to wait for a selected waiting period and to implement the alarm message transmitting procedure again if the alarm message receipt confirmation has not been received from the tracking device management system.

29. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the tracking device is further configured to repeat a cycle of waiting for a selected waiting period and implementing the alarm message transmitting procedure until the alarm message receipt confirmation is received from the tracking device management system.

30. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device communication link is comprised of a cellular telephone network.

31. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device communication link is comprised of a virtual carrier network.

32. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device communication link is comprised of a control channel associated with a cellular telephone network.

33. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 32 wherein the cellular telephone network is comprised of an AMPS cellular telephone network.

34. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device management system is further comprised of a call center.

35. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 34 wherein the tracking device management system is further comprised of a call center communication link between the call center and the management system communication interface to enable the call center to communicate with the tracking device and the tracking system server.

36. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the call center communication link enables the call center to modify the database.

37. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 36 wherein the call center communication link enables the call center to configure the tracking device.

38. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the call center communication link enables the call center to transmit commands to the tracking device through the tracking device communication link.

39. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the call center communication link enables the call center to receive data from the tracking device through the tracking device communication link.

40. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 35 wherein the call center communication link is comprised of a telecommunication link.

41. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 40 wherein the call center communication link is comprised of a telephone link.

42. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 40 wherein the call center communication link is comprised of a computer network.

43. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 42 wherein the management system communication interface is comprised of a tracking device management web interface.

44. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 43 wherein the tracking device management system is further comprised of a tracking device management website and wherein the tracking device management web interface is comprised of the tracking device management website.

45. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the asset tracking system is comprised of a plurality of tracking devices and wherein the tracking device management system is configured to facilitate the assignment of two or more of the tracking devices to a group so that the tracking device management system can communicate collectively with the group of the tracking devices.

46. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein data pertaining to the GPS signals is stored in the database.

47. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 46 wherein data pertaining to a last known location of the tracking device is stored in the database.

48. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 47 wherein the tracking device management system is configured to provide the last known location of the tracking device if the tracking device management system is unable to obtain current location information from the tracking device.

49. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device is configured to enter a power save mode in which the tracking device communication device is inoperative, and wherein the tracking device is further configured to enter into an awake period while the tracking device is in power save mode in which the tracking device communication device is operative.

50. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 49 wherein the tracking device is further configured to enter into the awake period according to a selected schedule.

51. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking device is further comprised of a meter for recording an operating time relating to the asset.

52. The asset tracking system as claimed in claim 51 wherein the database is configured to accept an offset number for use in synchronizing the meter.