METHOD, DEVICE, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR MOBILE ASSET TRACKING

• US 20130271281A1
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gordon Jessop
• Original Assignee: Gordon Jessop
• Inventors: Jessop, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 9,799,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• 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

Abstract

A device, remote control, and web application for tracking mobile assets are disclosed. The device is attached to the mobile asset. The remote control enables or disables the device, and communicates to a user the location and status of the device. The web application can also be used for tracking the device and providing advanced features. The device includes a GPS transceiver and an accelerometer for determining its location and travel parameters. The web application includes a map to give a visual representation of the device location. Also disclosed is a social networking feature of the device, which is optimally utilized where the device is used for tracking of pets by owners.

Claims

1. A device for mobile asset tracking, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) power means;

(c) a positional tracking circuit;

(d) a means for activating and deactivating the device; and

(e) an indicator for communicating messages to a user of the device.

2. The device claimed in claim 1, further comprising attachment means for attaching said device to a collar, and said housing is waterproof.

3. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment means are D-rings.

4. The device claimed in claim 1, the power means comprises a battery and a battery charging circuit with or without a magnetic induction charging circuit.

5. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein the positional tracking circuit is a global positioning system tracking circuit.

6. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a visual indicator is a light emitting diode.

7. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein said device may be controlled by a remote control.

8. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein said remote control comprises:

(a) a display screen;

(b) a plurality of input means for activating and deactivating the device, querying the device status, and activating and deactivating device features;

(c) a battery; and

(d) a battery charging circuit.

9. The device claimed in claim 8, wherein the remote control is a personal digital assistant.

10. The device claimed in claim 8, wherein the battery charging circuit is a magnetic induction charging circuit.

11. The device claimed in claim 7, wherein the batteries of said device and said remote control are charged using a magnetic induction battery charger.

12. The device claimed in claim 2, wherein the device further comprises a means for determining whether said device is connected to said collar.

13. The device claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for determining whether said device is connected to said collar includes a plurality of magnets and a sensing circuit for determining whether said magnets are in proximity of each other.

14. The device claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for determining whether said device is connected to said collar includes a plurality of transceivers in communication with one another, and wherein a failure to receive messages between the transceivers indicates that there is no connection.

15. A method for mobile asset tracking, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

(a) attaching a first device to an asset, the device operable to communicate its location to a second device; and

(b) a user being in possession of the second device the second device communicating to the user the location of the first device.

16. The method claimed in claim 15, wherein the second, device is operable to enable and disable the first device to generate an alert to the second device when the first device travels outside a predetermined spatial range.

17. The method claimed in claim 15, wherein the temperature of the asset is monitored.

18. A computer program comprising computer instructions which when made available to a computer are operable to define in relation to the computer a mobile asset tracking utility that is operable to:

(a) receive location information from a device;

(b) display on a map the location of the device;

(c) enable a user to enable or disable travel boundaries for the device, wherein an alert is provided to the user if the device travels outside the travel boundaries;

(d) enable a user to enable or disable a timeframe for said travel boundaries to be activated; and

(e) enable a user to configure a radius and centerpoint for said travel boundaries.

19. The computer program claimed in claim 18, further comprising enabling a user to register the device, said registration including the user providing to the computer program, personal contact information, to be used for the computer program to provide alerts to the user.

20. A method for social networking, comprising:

(a) a plurality of users each obtaining a device and remote control, the device including location based tracking means;

(b) each user registering the device with a central registration application, said registration including providing a label to the device;

(c) the central registration application communicating the label to the device;

(d) the device communicating the label to the remote control;

(e) the remote control including a sensing function wherein it is operable to sense another user'"'"'s remote control within a certain physical range; and

(f) the remote controls exchanging a greeting when they ac within the certain physical range.