Methods, systems, and computer program products for locating and tracking objects

• US 20080004798A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Troxler, Robert, Malassenet, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/023 Anti-evasion devices
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 1/00 Investigation of foundation soil in situ investigation involving boring or specially adapted to earth drilling E21B25/00, E21B49/00; investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties, in general G01N, e.g. sampling G01N1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/00 Recording measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups G01N3/00 – G01N17/00, G01N21/00 or G01N22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/42 Road-making materials G01N33/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/00 Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for locating and tracking objects are disclosed. According to one system, a locating device can be configured to determine a location of an object. According to another system, an identifying device can be configured to determine the identification of an object. Further, a tracking system configured to store tracking information associated with the object. A communications system can be configured to communicate a signal to a remote computer device that identifies the location of the object and includes the tracking information associated with the object.

Claims

1. A system for locating and tracking an object, the system comprising:

(a) an object;

(b) a locating device configured to determine a location of the object;

(c) a tracking system configured to store tracking information associated with the object; and

(d) a communications system configured to communicate a signal to a remote computer device that identifies the location of the object and includes the tracking information associated with the object.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, construction equipment, electronic instrumentation, and cargo.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the object comprises a radioactive source.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the object is a measuring device configured to determine a property of a paving-related material.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least one of a density, a density-related parameter, a moisture content, a surface texture of at least one of a soil, an aggregate, and an asphalt or cement paving mix.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the locating device is configured to determine the location of the measuring device independently of the property measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located and tracked.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the locating device is configured to determine the location of the measuring device independently of the property measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located or tracked or destination predicted.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the locating device is configured to determine the location of the measuring device when or about when the property of the paving-related material is determined.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein the measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a nuclear density gauge, a seismic pavement analyzer, a stiffness gauge, a falling weight deflectometer, a ground penetrating radar device, a radio frequency device, an electromagnetic device, a microwave device, an acoustic device, a moisture measuring device, an optical device, and combinations thereof.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein the measuring device includes a hazardous material.

11. The system of claim 10 comprising a detector configured to determine removal of the hazardous material from the measuring device or tampering of the hazardous material, and wherein the communications system is configured to notify the remote computer device of removal or tampering of the hazardous material.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the hazardous material is one or more radioactive sources.

13. The system of claim 12 comprising a memory storage area that stores in an encrypted, authenticated fashion the type of removal or tampering of the hazardous material.

14. The system of claim 1 above comprising a memory storage area that stores one or more authentication keys.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the communications system is configured to receive a polling signal associated with the object and configured to communicate the location of the object and tracking information associated with the object in response to receiving the polling signal.

16. The system of claim 15 comprising an authenticated and encrypted memory storage to save the time stamp with the determined property or multiple properties of the paving related material.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the communications system includes and authentication protocol to verify the polling signal origin.

18. The system of claim 17 comprising a memory storage area that stores multiple authentication keys.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the tracking system is configured to store hazardous material identification information for identifying the hazardous material.

20. The system of claim 4 comprising a computing system configured to associate a time stamp with the determined property of the paving-related material.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the locating device is operable with at least one of a geographic information system (GIS), a global positioning system (GPS), a nationwide differential global positioning system (NDGPS), a high accuracy-nationwide differential global positioning system (HA-NDGPS), a global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), and combinations thereof for determining the location of the object.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the locating device includes at least one of signpost components, dead reckoning components, wave propagating components, radio frequency (RF) components, and combinations thereof.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the locating device is configured to receive data related to the location of the object and determine the location of the object based on the data.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking information includes identification data associated with the object.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking information includes boundary information that defines a predetermined boundary for the object.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking information includes routing information that defines a predetermined route for transporting the object.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the tracking system is configured to obtain the location of the object from the locating device and configured to determine positioning of the object with respect to the predetermined route.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the tracking system is configured to determine whether the position of the object is greater than a predetermined distance from the predetermined route.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the communications system is configured to notify the remote computer device in response to a determination that the position of the object is greater than the predetermined distance from the predetermined route.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking system is mounted to the object.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) component.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications system is configured to receive a polling signal associated with the object and configured to communicate the location of the object and tracking information associated with the object in response to receiving the polling signal.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer device is configured to receive the signal that identifies the location of the measuring device and tracking information associated with the measuring device.

34. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications system and the computer device are configured to communicate via at least one of a wireless network and a wireline network.

35. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer device is a first computer device, and the first computer device is configured to communicate the signal that identifies the location of the measuring device and tracking information to a second computer device.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the second computer device is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a networked distributed computing device, and a personal communications device.

37. A method for locating and tracking an object, the method comprising:

(a) determining a location of an object;

(b) storing tracking information associated with the object; and

(c) communicating a signal to a remote computer device that identifies the location of the object and includes the tracking information associated with the object.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, construction equipment, electronic instrumentation, and cargo.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the object comprises one or more radioactive sources.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the object comprises one or more hazardous materials.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein the object is a measuring device configured to determine a property of a paving-related material.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least one of a density, a density-related parameter, texture, a moisture content of at least one of a soil, an aggregate, and an asphalt or concrete paving mix.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein determining a location of an object includes determining the location of the measuring device independently of the property measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located and tracked.

44. The method of claim 37 wherein determining a location of an object includes determining the location of the measuring device when the property of the paving-related material is determined.

45. The method of claim 37 wherein the measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a nuclear density gauge, a seismic pavement analyzer, a stiffness gauge, a falling weight deflectometer, a ground penetrating radar device, a radio frequency device, an electromagnetic device, a microwave device, an acoustic device, a moisture measuring device, an optical device, and combinations thereof.

46. The method of claim 37 wherein the measuring device includes a hazardous material.

47. The method of claim 46 comprising detecting removal of the hazardous material from the measuring device or tampering of the hazardous material, and comprising notifying the remote computer device of removal or tampering of the hazardous material.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein the hazardous material is a radioactive source.

49. The method of claim 46 comprising receiving a polling signal associated with the object, and comprising communicating the location of the object and tracking information associated with the object in response to receiving the polling signal.

50. The method of claim 37 comprising storing hazardous material identification information for identifying the hazardous material.

51. The method of claim 37 comprising associating a time stamp with the determined property of the paving-related material.

52. The method of claim 37 comprising operating with at least one of a geographic information system (GIS), a global positioning system (GPS), a nationwide differential global positioning system (NDGPS), a high accuracy-nationwide differential global positioning system (HA-NDGPS), a global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), and combinations thereof for determining the location of the object.

53. The method of claim 37 comprising receiving data related to the location of the object, and wherein determining a location of an object includes determining the location of the object based on the data.

54. The method of claim 37 wherein the tracking information includes identification data associated with the object.

55. The method of claim 37 wherein the tracking information includes boundary information that defines a predetermined boundary for the object.

56. The method of claim 37 wherein the tracking information includes routing information that defines a predetermined route for transporting the object.

57. The method of claim 56 comprising determining positioning of the object with respect to the predetermined route.

58. The method of claim 57 comprising determining whether the position of the object is greater than a predetermined distance from the predetermined route.

59. The method of claim 58 comprising notifying the remote computer device in response to a determination that the position of the object is greater than the predetermined distance from the predetermined route.

60. The method of claim 37 wherein the tracking system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) component.

61. The method of claim 37 comprising receiving a polling signal associated with the object, and comprising communicating the location of the object and tracking information associated with the object in response to receiving the polling signal.

62. The method of claim 37 comprising receiving the signal that identifies the location of the measuring device and tracking information associated with the measuring device.

63. The method of claim 37 wherein communicating a signal to a remote computer device includes communicating the signal via at least one of a wireless network and a wireline network.

64. The method of claim 37 wherein the computer device is a first computer device, and the first computer device is configured to communicate the signal that identifies the location of the measuring device and tracking information to a second computer device.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein the second computer device is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a personal communications device.

66. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) determining a location of an object;

(b) storing tracking information associated with the object; and

(c) communicating a signal to a remote computer device that identifies the location of the object and includes the tracking information associated with the object.

67. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, construction equipment, electronic instrumentation, and cargo.

68. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein the object comprises one or more radioactive sources.

69. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein the object is a measuring device configured to determine a property of a paving-related material.

70. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least one of a density, a density-related parameter, a moisture content of at least one of a soil, a texture, an aggregate, and an asphalt paving mix.

71. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein determining a location of an object includes determining the location of the measuring device independently of the property measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located and tracked.

72. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein determining a location of an object includes determining the location of the measuring device when the property of the paving-related material is determined.

73. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein the measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a nuclear density gauge, a seismic pavement analyzer, a stiffness gauge, a falling weight deflectometer, a ground penetrating radar device, a radio frequency device, an electromagnetic device, a microwave device, an acoustic device, a moisture measuring device, an optical device, and combinations thereof.

74. The computer program product of claim 69 wherein the measuring device includes a hazardous material.

75. The computer program product of claim 74 comprising detecting removal of the hazardous material from the measuring device or tampering of the hazardous material, and comprising notifying the remote computer device of removal or tampering of the hazardous material.

76. The computer program product of claim 75 wherein the hazardous material is one or a plurality of radioactive sources.

77. The computer program product of claim 75 comprising receiving a polling signal associated with the object, and comprising communicating the location of the object and tracking information associated with the object in response to receiving the polling signal.

78. The computer program product of claim 74 comprising storing hazardous material identification information for identifying the hazardous material.

79. The computer program product of claim 71 comprising associating a time stamp with the determined property of the paving-related material.

80. The computer program product of claim 71 comprising associating an authentication process with the determined property of the paving-related material.

81. The computer program product of claim 66 comprising operating with at least one of a geographic information system (GIS), a global positioning system (GPS), a nationwide differential global positioning system (NDGPS), a high accuracy-nationwide differential global positioning system (HA-NDGPS), a global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), the European satellite system Galileo, and combinations thereof for determining the location of the object.

82. The computer program product of claim 66 comprising receiving data related to the location of the object, and wherein determining a location of an object includes determining the location of the object based on the data.

83. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein the tracking information includes identification data associated with the object.

84. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein the tracking information includes boundary information that defines a predetermined boundary for the object.

85. The computer program product of claim 66 wherein the tracking information includes routing information that defines a predetermined route for transporting the object.

86. The computer program product of claim 85 comprising determining positioning of the object with respect to the predetermined route.

87. The computer program product of claim 86 comprising determining whether the position of the object is greater than a predetermined distance from the predetermined route.

88. The computer program product of claim 87 comprising notifying the remote computer device in response to a determination that the position of the object is greater than the predetermined distance from the predetermined route.

89. The computer program product of claim 88 wherein the tracking system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) component.

90. The computer program product of claim 88 comprising receiving a polling signal associated with the object, and comprising communicating the location of the object and tracking information associated with the object in response to receiving the polling signal.

91. The computer program product of claim 67 comprising receiving the signal that identifies the location of the measuring device and tracking information associated with the measuring device.

92. The computer program product of claim 67 wherein communicating a signal to a remote computer device includes communicating the signal via at least one of a wireless network and a wireline network.

93. The computer program product of claim 67 wherein the computer device is a first computer device, and the first computer device is configured to communicate the signal that identifies the location of the measuring device and tracking information to a second computer device.

94. The computer program product of claim 93 wherein the second computer device is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a personal communications device.

95. A system for positioning measurement locations of a sample, the system comprising:

(a) a measuring device configured to determine a property of a sample;

(b) a locating device configured to determine a location of the measuring device;

(c) a computer device operably engaged with the locating device and configured to indicate one or more locations to position the measuring device for determining the property of the sample; and

(d) a user interface operably engaged with the computer device and configured to present to an operator the information indicating the one or more locations for positioning the measuring device.

96. The system of claim 95 wherein the measuring device is configured to measure at least one of a density, a density-related parameter, texture a moisture content of at least one of a soil, an aggregate, and an asphalt paving mix.

97. The system of claim 95 wherein the measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a nuclear density gauge, a seismic pavement analyzer, a stiffness gauge, a falling weight deflectometer, a ground penetrating radar device, a radio frequency (RF) device, an electromagnetic device, a microwave device, an acoustic device, a moisture gauge, an optical device, and combinations thereof.

98. The system of claim 95 wherein the locating device is configured to determine the location of the measuring device independently of the property measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located and tracked.

99. The system of claim 95 wherein the locating device is configured to determine the location of the measuring device when the property of the sample is determined.

100. The system of claim 95 wherein the locating device includes at least one of a geographic information system (GIS), a global positioning system (GPS), nationwide differential global positioning system (NDGPS), a high accuracy-nationwide differential global positioning system (HA-NDGPS), the European satellite system Galileo, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), signpost components, signpost components, dead reckoning components, wave propagating components, RF components, and combinations thereof.

101. The system of claim 95 wherein the computer device is configured to associate a time stamp with the determined property of the sample.

102. The system of claim 95 comprising a communications system operably engaged with the locating device and configured to receive the information indicating the one or more locations for positioning the measuring device.

103. The system of claim 102 wherein the communications system and the computer device are configured to communicate via at least one of a wireless network and a wireline network.

104. The system of claim 95 comprising a communications system operably engaged with the locating device and configured to communicate to the computer device a first location at which the measuring device determined a first measurement of a sample and configured to receive information indicating a second location from the computer device for determining a second measurement of a sample in response to communicating the first location to the computer device.

105. The system of claim 104 wherein the measuring device is configured to determine the second measurement of the sample at the second location.

106. The system of claim 104 wherein the communications system is configured to communicate to the computer device the determined second measurement of the sample at the second location.

107. A method for positioning measurement locations of a sample, the method comprising:

(a) using a measuring device to determine a property of a sample;

(b) determining a location of the measuring device;

(c) indicating one or more locations to position the measuring device for determining the property of the sample; and

(d) presenting to an operator the information indicating the one or more locations for positioning the measuring device.

108. The method of claim 107 wherein using a measuring device to determine a property of a sample includes using the measuring device to measure at least one of a density, a density-related parameter, a moisture content of at least one of a soil, an aggregate, a cement mix, and an asphalt paving mix.

109. The method of claim 107 wherein the measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a nuclear density gauge, a seismic pavement analyzer, a stiffness gauge, a falling weight deflectometer, a ground penetrating radar device, a radio frequency (RF) device, an electromagnetic device, a microwave device, an acoustic device, a moisture gauge, an optical device, and combinations thereof.

110. The method of claim 107 wherein determining a location of the measuring device includes determining the location of the measuring device independently of the property measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located and tracked.

111. The method of claim 107 wherein determining a location of the measuring device includes determining the location of the measuring device when or nearly when the property of the sample is determined.

112. The method of claim 107 comprising operating with at least one of a geographic information system (GIS), a global positioning system (GPS), nationwide differential global positioning system (NDGPS), a high accuracy-nationwide differential global positioning system (HA-NDGPS), global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), the European satellite system Galileo, signpost components, signpost components, dead reckoning components, wave propagating components, RF components, and combinations thereof.

113. The method of claim 107 comprising associating a time stamp with the determined property or properties of the sample.

114. The method of claim 107 comprising communicating the information indicating the one or more locations for positioning the measuring device to a computer device.

115. The method of claim 114 wherein communicating the information includes communicating the information via at least one of a wireless network and a wireline network.

116. The method of claim 107 comprising communicating to the computer device a first location at which the measuring device determined a first measurement of a sample, and comprising information indicating a second location from the computer device for determining a second measurement of a sample in response to communicating the first location to the computer device.

117. The method of claim 116 comprising determining the second measurement of the sample at the second location.

118. The method of claim 117 comprising communicating to the computer device the determined second measurement of the sample at the second location.

119. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

(a) using a measuring device to determine a property of a sample;

(b) determining a location of the measuring device;

(c) indicating one or more locations to position the measuring device for determining the property of the sample; and

(d) presenting to an operator the information indicating the one or more locations for positioning the measuring device.

120. The computer program product of claim 119 wherein using a measuring device to determine a property of a sample includes using the measuring device to measure at least one of a density, a density-related parameter, a moisture content of at least one of a soil, an aggregate, an asphalt paving mix, and a cement mix.

121. The computer program product of claim 119 wherein the measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a nuclear density gauge, a seismic pavement analyzer, a stiffness gauge, a falling weight deflectometer, a ground penetrating radar device, a radio frequency (RF) device, an electromagnetic device, a microwave device, an acoustic device, a moisture gauge, an optical device and combinations thereof.

122. The computer program product of claim 119 wherein determining a location of the measuring device includes determining the location of the measuring device independently of the property or properties measurement for allowing the measuring device to be located and tracked.

123. The computer program product of claim 119 wherein determining a location of the measuring device includes determining the location of the measuring device when the property or properties of the sample are determined.

124. The computer program product of claim 119 comprising operating with at least one of a geographic information system (GIS), a global positioning system (G PS), nationwide differential global positioning system (NDGPS), a high accuracy-nationwide differential global positioning system (HA-NDGPS), global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), pseudolites, signpost components, signpost components, dead reckoning components, wave propagating components, RF components, and combinations thereof.

125. The computer program product of claim 119 comprising associating a time stamp with the determined property of the sample.

126. The computer program product of claim 119 comprising an authentication algorithm.

127. The computer program product of claim 119 comprising communicating the information indicating the one or more locations for positioning the measuring device to a computer device.

128. The computer program product of claim 127 wherein communicating the information includes communicating the information via at least one of a wireless network and a wireline network.

129. The computer program product of claim 119 comprising communicating to the computer device a first location at which the measuring device determined a first measurement of a sample, and comprising information indicating a second location from the computer device for determining a second measurement of a sample in response to communicating the first location to the computer device.

130. The computer program product of claim 129 comprising determining the second measurement of the sample at the second location.

131. The computer program product of claim 130 comprising communicating to the computer device the determined second measurement of the sample at the second location.

132. A measuring device comprising:

(a) a locating device configured for activation to determine a location of an object; and

(b) at least one sensor for pavement analysis.

133. The measuring device of claim 132 wherein the locating device is a GPS-enabled locating device.

134. The measuring device of claim 132 wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, construction equipment, electronic instrumentation, and cargo.

135. The measuring device of claim 134 wherein the object comprises a radioactive source.

136. The measuring device of claim 134 wherein the object is a measuring device configured to determine a property of a paving-related material.

137. The measuring device of claim 134 wherein the at least one sensor is configured to determine at least one property of pavement.

138. The measuring device of claim 134 wherein the at least one sensor is configured to receive photon counts as a function of a density of the object.

139. The measuring device of claim 134 wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure moisture of the object.

140. The measuring device of claim 134 comprising a computer configured to determine a moisture or density measurement of the object based on an output of the at least one sensor.

141. The measuring device of claim 140 comprising a display configured to display the moisture or density measurement.