SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATING PHYSICAL ASSETS

• US 20120309422A1
• Filed: 02/02/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tracker Asia Limited
• Original Assignee: Tracker Asia Limited
• Inventors: Lewis-Evans, Jonathan Philip, Key, Alexander John
• Granted Patent: US 9,207,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2072 with means for preventing jamming or interference of a remote switch control signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A stolen asset locating and recovery system comprises: a first locating device (LD) associated with a first asset. The first LD has a first wireless communication unit comprising a public mobile radio network (PMRN) enabled communication unit for communicating over a PMRN such as a GSM/GPRS network with any of: an operations control centre; a second LD associated with a second asset; or a mobile location tracking system. The first LD has a second wireless communication unit. The second wireless communication unit uses a different wireless technology or protocol to that of the PMRN enabled communication unit. In the case where the second communication unit is a private radio frequency network (PRFN) operated by the asset location system service provider, the first LD is configured to use said second communication unit to communicate directly over said PRFN with the second LD in order to convey information such as a preprogrammed sequence of signals which assists locating and recovering said asset. In the event that the second communication unit is enabled for communication on a public radio network (PRN), the first LD is configured to communicate with any of the operations control centre, the second LD, or the mobile location tracking system on a PRN such as an IEEE802.11 enabled wireless local area network (WLAN) or an IEEE802.16 enabled wireless metropolitan area network when it is determined at the first LD that the communication cannot be transmitted between said first LD and any of the operations control centre, the second LD, or the mobile location tracking system using the PMRN.

Claims

1. An asset location system comprising:

a first locating device ‘

LD’

associated with a first asset, said first LD having a first wireless communication unit, said first wireless communication unit comprising a public radio network ‘

PRN’

enabled communication unit for communicating over a first PRN with any of;

an operations control centre;

a second LD associated with a second asset;

or a mobile location tracking system, said first LD including a second wireless communication unit, said second wireless communication unit using a different wireless technology or protocol to that of the first PRN enabled communication unit, the first LD being configured to use said second communication unit to communicate either;

a) directly over a private radio frequency network ‘

PRFN”

with the second LD associated with the second asset where the second communication unit is a PRFN enabled communication unit;

or

b) with any of the OCC, the second LD associated with the second asset, or the mobile location tracking system on a second PRN using a different technology or protocol to the first PRN;

when a communication cannot be transmitted between the first LD and any of the OCC, the second LD associated with the second asset, or the mobile location tracking system using the first PRN.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second LD associated with the second asset is configured to relay messages between the OCC or the mobile location tracking system and the first LD associated with the first asset using any of the first or second PRNs or the PRFN.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second LD associated with the second asset is configured to relay messages between the OCC or the mobile location tracking system and the first LD associated with the first asset using a third LD associated with a third LD, said third asset being configured to relay messages between the second LD and the OCC or the mobile location tracking system using any of the first or second PRNs or the PRFN.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system has a plurality of assets with associated LDs wherein a subset of said LDs is configured to form a mobile mesh wireless network to relay messages between the first LD associated with the first asset and the OCC or the mobile location tracking system, said mobile mesh wireless network being formed over any one or a combination of the first or second PRNs or the PRFN.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first PRN is a public mobile radio network ‘

PMRN’

such as a GSM/CDMA/GPRS or similar network.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second PRN is a wireless local area network ‘

WLAN’

such as an IEEE802.11 or similar network or a wireless metropolitan area network ‘

WMAN’

such as an IEEE802.16 or similar network.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the WLAN or WMAN is any of:

a publicly accessible WLAN or WMAN;

a publicly subscribable WLAN or WMAN;

or a publicly provisioned WLAN or WMAN.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the WLAN or WMAN is connectable to the internet for relaying messages between any of the first or second LDs and any of the OCC, the mobile location tracking system, or another LD associated with another asset.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PRFN is a PRFN assigned to the asset location system.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the OCC is configured to activate the first LD associated with the first asset when an alert message is received at the OCC indicating unexpected activity relating to the asset.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unexpected activity relating to the asset is indicative of the asset being moved without permission of the owner of the asset.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the OCC uses a unique identifier of the first LD to activate said first LD in a message sent over the first or second PRN or the PRFN to the first LD.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the OCC is configured to send the activation message directly to the first LD over any of the first or second PRNs or the PRFN.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the OCC is configured to send the activation message indirectly to the first LD over any of the first or second PRNs or the PRFN via one or more other LDs or an mobile mesh network of LDs.

15. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first LD is configured to receive GPS data from a global position system and to transmit said GPS data to said OCC or said mobile location tracking system over said second PRN if said first PRN is not available, or directly or indirectly to the mobile location tracking system over the PRFN or indirectly to the OCC over the PRFN via at least the second LD.

16. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first LD is configured to determine its possible location via a dead reckoning process or a wireless signal triangulation if no GPS data is available.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the OCC is configured to identify a possible search area for the mobile location tracking system to use in tracking the first LD based on a last known location of the first LD and taking into account data such as elapsed time since said last known location was received or a last known time said asset was at its last known location.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the OCC is configured to use reported GPS data from at least the second LD to determine a potential search area for the mobile location tracking system to use to track the location of the first LD.

19. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the OCC is configured to use reported GPS data from a plurality of other LDs associated with other assets which have communicated at some point in time with the first LD to determine a potential search area for the mobile tracking location system.

20. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the OCC is configured to use timing information contained in or derivable from communications received from other LDs associated with other assets which have communicated at some point in time with the first LD to determine a potential search area for the mobile tracking location system.

21. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LDs are configured to attempt wireless communication firstly over the first PRN then over the second PRN and then over the PRFN.

22. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile location tracking system comprises any of:

a motor vehicle;

a helicopter, or a satellite communication system with a tracking system.

23. A locating device ‘

LD’

for an asset location system, said LD comprising;

a first wireless communication unit, said first wireless communication unit comprising a public radio network ‘

PRN’

enabled communication unit for communicating over a first PRN with any of;

an operations control centre;

a second LD associated with a second asset;

or a mobile location tracking system; and

a second wireless communication unit, said second wireless communication unit using a different wireless technology or protocol to that of the first PRN enabled communication unit;

wherein said first LD is configured to;

a) use said second communication unit to communicate directly over a PRFN with the second LD associated with the second asset where the second communication unit is a PRFN-enabled communication unit;

or

b) communicate with any of the OCC, the second LD associated with the second asset, or the mobile location tracking system on a second PRN using a different technology or protocol to the first PRN;

when a communication cannot be transmitted between the first LD and any of the OCC, the second LD associated with the second asset, or the mobile location tracking system using the first PRN.

25. An asset comprising part of an asset location system, wherein said asset has integrated therewith a locating device ‘

LD’

according to claim 23.

24. A method of locating an asset using an asset location system in which a first locating device ‘

LD’

is associated with a first asset, said first LD having a first wireless communication unit, said first wireless communication unit comprising a public radio network ‘

PRN’

enabled communication unit for communicating over a first PRN with any of;

an operations control centre;

a second LD associated with a second asset;

or a mobile location tracking system, said first LD including a second wireless communication unit, said second wireless communication unit using a different wireless technology or protocol to that of the first PRN enabled communication unit, the method comprising;

a) using said second communication unit at said first LD to communicate directly over a private radio frequency network ‘

PRFN’

with the second LD associated with the second asset where the second communication unit is a PRFN enabled communication unit;

or

b) using said second communication unit to communicate with any of the OCC, the second LD associated with the second asset, or the mobile location tracking system on a second PRN using a different technology or protocol to the first PRN;

when a communication cannot be transmitted between the first LD and any of the OCC, the second LD associated with the second asset, or the mobile location tracking system using the first PRN.

26. An asset location system comprising:

an operations control centre;

a mobile location tracking system; and

a plurality of locating devices ‘

LDs’

, each LD being associated with a respective asset, each LD being configured to communicate with the operation control center, another LD, or the mobile location tracking system using a wireless local area network ‘

WLAN’

or a wireless metropolitan area network ‘

WMAN’

.

27. The system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the WLAN or WMAN is any of:

a publicly accessible WLAN or WMAN;

a publicly subscribable WLAN or WMAN;

or a publicly provisioned WLAN or WMAN.

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