Mobile asset data management system

• US 20080183522A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hecker, Yaron, Ehrman, Michael L., Jagid, Jeffrey M., Pimentel, Leonard, Ehrman, Kenneth S., Pinzon, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US11/998,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20080183522A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/76 : Group identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An impact detection system and method for use with a mobile asset is described. The system includes a user input unit, a sensor, a processing unit, and a storage unit. The user input unit receives an operator identifier from the asset before the asset is operated. The sensor is coupled to the asset and adapted to sense an impact on the asset, and operable to produce an impact signal. The processing unit is in communication with the input and the sensor, operable to receive the impact signal from the sensor, and further operable to determine, based on the impact signal, a level of impact on the asset. The storage unit is in communication with the processing unit and can store the operator identifier and level of impact as a dataset. The method includes receiving an operator identifier of the asset prior to the asset being operated, receiving at least one impact signal, determining, based on the at least one impact signal, a level of impact, and storing the operator identifier and level of impact as a dataset.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring impact of an asset, said system comprising:

an input unit operable to receive an operator identifier of the asset prior to the asset being operated;

at least one sensor coupled to the asset and operable to sense an impact on the asset, and operable to produce at least one impact signal associated therewith;

a processing unit in communication with said input unit and said at least one sensor, said processing unit being operable to receive the at least one impact signal from said at least one sensor, said processing unit further operable to determine, based on the at least one impact signal, a level of impact on the asset; and

a storage unit in communication with said processing unit and operable to store the operator identifier and level of impact as a dataset.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is operable to generate the at least one impact signal based on a change in G-force.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to determine an angle of impact on the asset using data received from multiple impact sensors.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to:

determine time of impact;

determine an assignment status of the asset at the time of impact; and

store the assignment status with the dataset in said storage unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to:

receive an impact threshold indicative of an impact severity above which to store the at least one impact signal in response to an impact being sensed by said at least one sensor; and

store the at least one impact signal in response to the impact level crossing the impact threshold.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the impact severity includes impact level and duration.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to:

determine time of impact;

monitor a state of a device operable to move at least a portion of the asset at the time of impact; and

store the state with the dataset.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to:

determine time of impact;

determine location of the asset at the time of impact; and

store the location of the asset with the dataset.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to:

generate a message indicative of the impact dataset; and

communicate the message to a supervisor or an authority for notification of an impact of the asset.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further operable to at least partially disable the asset in response to receiving the impact signals.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising wireless network infrastructure operable to prevent usage of one or more assets from being utilized by the operator involved with the impact of the asset.

12. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensory signal generator operable to notify other individuals in the vicinity of the impact of the asset.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing is further operable to:

determine time of impact; and

store the time of impact in association with the dataset.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is further operable to:

receive impact data from an impact sensor associated with the asset;

determine whether the asset sustained damage; and

determine an impact threshold indicative of an impact severity based on the received impact data and whether the asset sustained damage.

15. A method for monitoring impact of an asset, said method comprising:

receiving an operator identifier of the asset prior to the asset being operated;

receiving at least one impact signal;

determining, based on the at least one impact signal, a level of impact; and

storing the operator identifier and level of impact as a dataset.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein determining a level of impact comprises determining a change in G-force.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining assignment status of the asset at the time of impact; and

storing the assignment status with the dataset.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving an impact threshold indicative of an impact severity above which to store the at least one impact signal in response to an impact; and

storing the impact signals in response to the impact level crossing the impact threshold.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the impact severity includes impact level and duration.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining time of impact;

monitoring a state of a device operable to move at least a portion of the asset at the time of impact; and

storing the state with the dataset.

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining time of impact;

determining location of the asset at the time of impact; and

storing the location of the asset with the dataset.

22. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

generating a message indicative of the impact; and

communicating the message to a supervisor or an authority for notification of an impact of the asset.

23. The method according to claim 15, further comprising at least partially disabling the asset in response to receiving the impact signals.

24. The method according to claim 15, further comprising preventing usage of one or more assets from being utilized by the operator involved with the impact of the asset.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising producing a sensory signal to notify other individuals in the vicinity of the impact of the asset.

26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the level of impact is indicative of severity of impact.