Method and Apparatus for Tracking and Monitoring Containers

• US 20090102657A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Savi Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Cargonja, Nikola, Nardelli, Albert, Brand, Timothy K., Evans, Allan M., Mim, Reiner G., Zmrzli, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,319,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A tag can communicate according to a cellular telephone network communication protocol, and includes one of: passive circuitry, semi-passive circuitry, or circuitry capable of communicating according to a radio frequency identification communication protocol or a satellite communication protocol. According to a different aspect, a tag can receive satellite signals containing positioning information, and can transmit according to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol. According to yet another aspect, a tag can transmit according to each of first and second communication protocols that are each one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:

a first portion capable of transmitting a wireless signal conforming to a cellular telephone network communication protocol; and

a second portion that includes one of;

circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol, circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a satellite communication protocol, passive circuitry responsive to a wireless signal, and semi-passive circuitry responsive to a wireless signal.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cellular telephone network communication protocol is the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second portion includes said circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a satellite communication protocol, and said satellite communication protocol is the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second portion includes said circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol, and said wireless signal conforming to said radio frequency identification communication protocol is a near field signal.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said near field signal is a signpost signal.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second portion includes further circuitry capable of receiving a further wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol, and said further wireless signal is an ultrahigh frequency signal.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said cellular telephone network communication protocol is the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol;

and

wherein said second portion includes said circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a satellite communication protocol, and said satellite communication protocol is the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

8. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, comprising:

transmitting with said first portion a wireless signal conforming to a cellular telephone network communication protocol; and

configuring said second portion to include one of;

circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol, circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a satellite communication protocol, passive circuitry responsive to a wireless signal, and semi-passive circuitry responsive to a wireless signal.

9. A method according to claim 8, including selecting as said cellular telephone network communication protocol the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

10. A method according to claim 8,

wherein said second portion includes said circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a satellite communication protocol;

and

including selecting as said satellite communication protocol the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

11. A method according to claim 8,

wherein said second portion includes said circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol;

and

including selecting a near field signal as said wireless signal conforming to said radio frequency identification communication protocol.

12. A method according to claim 11,

wherein said second portion includes further circuitry capable of receiving a further wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol;

and

including selecting as said further wireless signal an ultrahigh frequency signal.

13. A method according to claim 12,

including selecting as said cellular telephone network communication protocol the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol;

wherein said second portion includes said circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a satellite communication protocol; and

including selecting as said satellite communication protocol the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

14. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:

a first portion capable of receiving a wireless signal remotely generated by a satellite and containing positioning information; and

a second portion that includes circuitry capable of transmitting a wireless signal conforming to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the wireless signal received by said first portion conforms to the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said satellite communication protocol, and said satellite communication protocol is a Satcom communication protocol.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, and said cellular telephone network communication protocol is the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein said second portion includes circuitry capable of receiving a wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol, and said wireless signal conforming to said radio frequency identification communication protocol is an ultrahigh frequency signal;

wherein said second portion includes further circuitry capable of receiving a further wireless signal conforming to a radio frequency identification communication protocol, said further wireless signal being a near field signal; and

wherein the wireless signal received by said first portion conforms to the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said satellite communication protocol, and said satellite communication protocol is a Satcom communication protocol.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, and said cellular telephone network communication protocol is the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

21. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said wireless computer network communication protocol.

22. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, comprising:

receiving with said first portion a wireless signal remotely generated by a satellite and containing positioning information; and

transmitting with said second portion a wireless signal that conforms to one of a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said receiving is carried out so that the received wireless signal containing positioning information conforms to the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein said transmitting is carried out so that said wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein said transmitting is carried out so that said wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

26. A method according to claim 22,

including receiving in said second portion a wireless signal that conforms to a radio frequency identification communication protocol and that is an ultrahigh frequency signal;

including receiving in said second portion a wireless signal that conforms to a radio frequency identification communication protocol and that is a near field signal; and

wherein said receiving by said first portion is carried out so that the received wireless signal containing positioning information conforms to the Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said transmitting is carried out so that the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein said transmitting is carried out so that the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein said transmitting is carried out so that the wireless signals transmitted by said second portion conform to said wireless computer network communication protocol.

30. An apparatus comprising a tag having circuitry that includes:

a first portion capable of transmitting a wireless signal conforming to a first communication protocol; and

a second portion capable of transmitting a wireless signal conforming to a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, said first and second communication protocols each being one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein one of said first and second communication protocols is said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

32. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein one of said first and second communication protocols is said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

33. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said circuitry of said tag includes a third portion that responds to information to be transmitted by initially supplying the information to a selected one of said first and second portions and then, if said selected one of said first and second portions fails to successfully transmit the information, supplying the information to the other of said first and second portions.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein information received from externally of said tag specifies which of said first and second portions is to be treated by said third portion as said selected one of said first and second portions.

35. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein if said third portion supplies the information to said other of said first and second portions and the information is then successfully transmitted by said other of said first and second portions, said third section thereafter effects a swap regarding which of said first and second portions is considered to be said selected one thereof, and which is considered to be said other thereof.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35,

wherein said first and second portions each have a normal operational mode and a reduced power operational mode, wireless transmissions by each of the first and second portions occurring during said normal operational mode thereof;

and

wherein said third section can selectively switch said other of said first and second portions to said reduced power operational mode thereof.

37. A method of operating a tag having circuitry that includes first and second portions, comprising:

transmitting with said first portion a wireless signal conforming to a first communication protocol; and

transmitting with said second portion a wireless signal conforming to a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, said first and second communication protocols each being one of a radio frequency identification communication protocol, a cellular telephone network communication protocol, a satellite communication protocol, and a wireless computer network communication protocol.

38. A method according to claim 37, including selecting as said one of said first and second communication protocols said cellular telephone network communication protocol, said cellular telephone network communication protocol being the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) protocol.

39. A method according to claim 37, including selecting as said one of said first and second communication protocols said satellite communication protocol, said satellite communication protocol being a Satcom communication protocol.

40. A method according to claim 37, including responding to information to be transmitted by initially supplying the information to a selected one of said first and second portions and then, if said selected one of said first and second portions fails to successfully transmit the information, supplying the information to the other of said first and second portions.

41. A method according to claim 40, including receiving from externally of said tag information that specifies which of said first and second portions is to be treated as said selected one of said first and second portions.

42. A method according to claim 40, wherein if the information is supplied to and successfully transmitted by said other of said first and second portions, then thereafter effecting a swap regarding which of said first and second portions is considered to be said selected one thereof, and which is considered to be said other thereof.

43. A method according to claim 42,

wherein said first and second portions each have a normal operational mode and a reduced power operational mode, said transmitting by each of said first and second portions occurring during said normal operational mode thereof;

and

including selectively switching said other of said first and second portions to said reduced power operational mode thereof.