Asset monitoring and tracking system

• US 6,982,656 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Processing Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Processing Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Coppinger, James B., DeBinder, Kevin R., Thomas, Norman A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/324,947
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/992, 340/994, 340/995.12, 340/426.1, 340/995.23, 340/426.19, 340/431, 340/426.28, 340/825.36, 235/382, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset are described, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from a starting location to a destination location. The method includes providing destination information to a tracking device on the mobile asset, and setting a boundary about the destination location which is also referred to herein as a geoboundary. As the mobile asset moves from the starting location to the destination location, the current location of the mobile asset is determined, and a determination is made whether the current location is within the geoboundary. If the current location of the mobile asset is within the geoboundary, an arrival message is transmitted from the tracking device. Preferred embodiments of the invention include the step of transmitting a departure message from the tracking device if the current location of the mobile asset moves from within the geoboundary to outside the geoboundary. The tracking device apparatus preferably includes a tether sensor and one or more door sensors. The tether sensor senses whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle, and the one or more door sensors sense whether one or more doors on the mobile asset are open or closed. The apparatus includes a processor, a location determining device for determining the geographic location of the mobile asset, and a transceiver for transmitting and receiving status messages related to the status of the mobile asset.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the apparatus comprising:

a tether sensor for sensing whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle, and for providing a tether sensor signal indicative of whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle;

one or more door sensors for sensing whether one or more doors on the mobile asset are open or closed, and for providing one or more door sensor signals indicative of whether one or more doors on the mobile asset are open or closed;

a location determining device for determining a geographic location of the mobile asset, and for providing a location signal indicative of the geographic location of the mobile asset;

a transmitter for transmitting status messages to a central monitoring station related to the status of the mobile asset; and

a processor for determining whether the mobile asset has arrived at and departed from a first location based on one or more conditions of the mobile asset by

(a) receiving the tether sensor signal, the one or more door sensor signals, and the location signal,

(b) determining the first location of the mobile asset and setting a first boundary about the first location when

(i) the tether sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is electrically disconnected from the transport vehicle, or

(ii) one or more of the door sensor signals indicate that one or more of the doors on the mobile asset are opened,

(c) determining based on the location signal whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary, and

(d) activating the transmitter to transmit a status message to the central monitoring station when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further for determining a second location when the location signal indicates that the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary, and for setting a second boundary about the second location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a power sensor for sensing whether external power is applied to or removed from the apparatus, and for providing a power sensor signal indicative of whether external power is applied to or removed from the apparatus; and

the processor further for receiving the power sensor signal, and for determining the first location of the mobile asset and the first boundary about the first location when the tether sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is electrically disconnected from the transport vehicle and the power sensor signal indicates that external power is removed from the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the location determining device is a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a load sensor for sensing a physical characteristic of the mobile asset indicating whether the mobile asset is loaded or unloaded, and for providing a load sensor signal indicative of whether the mobile asset is loaded or unloaded; and

the processor further for receiving the load sensor signal, and for determining the first location of the mobile asset and the first boundary about the first location when the load sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is unloaded.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the processor for

(b) determining the first boundary about the first location by determining a first radius from the first location, and

(c) determining whether the mobile asset moves to a second location beyond the first boundary by calculating a distance between the first and second locations and determining whether the distance is greater than the first radius.

7. An apparatus for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the apparatus comprising:

a tether sensor for sensing whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle, and for providing a tether sensor signal indicative of whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle;

one or more door sensors for sensing whether one or more doors on the mobile asset are open or closed, and for providing one or more door sensor signals indicative of whether one or more doors on the mobile asset are open or closed;

a power sensor for sensing whether external power is applied to or removed from the apparatus, and for providing a power sensor signal indicative of whether external power is applied to or removed from the apparatus;

a load sensor for sensing a physical characteristic of the mobile asset indicating whether the mobile asset is loaded or unloaded, and for providing a load sensor signal indicative of whether the mobile asset is loaded or unloaded;

a location determining device for determining a geographic location of the mobile asset, and for providing a location signal indicative of the geographic location of the mobile asset;

a transmitter for transmitting status messages to a central monitoring station related to the status of the mobile asset; and

a processor for determining whether the mobile asset has arrived at and departed from a first location based on one or more conditions of the mobile asset by

(a) receiving the tether sensor signal, the one or more door sensor signals, the power sensor signal, the load sensor signal, and the location signal,

(b) determining the first location of the mobile asset and setting a first boundary about the first location when

(i) the tether sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is electrically disconnected from the transport vehicle and the power sensor signal indicates that external power is removed from the apparatus, or

(ii) one or more of the door sensor signals indicate that one or more of the doors on the mobile asset have been opened, or

(iii) the load sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is unloaded,

(c) determining based on the location signal whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary, and

(d) activating the transmitter to transmit a status message to the central monitoring station when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary.

8. An apparatus for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset, where the mobile asset may be moved by a transport vehicle from one location to another location, the apparatus comprising:

a load sensor for sensing a physical characteristic of the mobile asset indicating whether the mobile asset is loaded or unloaded, and for providing a load sensor signal indicative of whether the mobile asset is loaded or unloaded;

a location determining device for determining a geographic location of the mobile asset, and for providing a location signal indicative of the geographic location of the mobile asset;

a transmitter for transmitting status messages to a central monitoring station related to the status of the mobile asset; and

a processor for determining whether the mobile asset has arrived at and departed from a first location based on one or more conditions of the mobile asset by

(a) receiving the load sensor signal and the location signal,

(b) determining the first location of the mobile asset and setting a first boundary about the first location when the load sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is unloaded,

(c) determining based on the location signal whether the mobile asset moves beyond the first boundary, and

(d) activating the transmitter to transmit a status message to the central monitoring station when the mobile asset has moved beyond the first boundary.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a tether sensor for sensing whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle, and for providing a tether sensor signal indicative of whether the mobile asset is electrically connected to or disconnected from the transport vehicle; and

the processor further for receiving the tether sensor signal, and for determining the first location of the mobile asset and the first boundary about the first location when the tether sensor signal indicates that the mobile asset is electrically disconnected from the transport vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a power sensor for sensing whether external power is applied to or removed from the apparatus, and for providing a power sensor signal indicative of whether external power is applied to or removed from the apparatus; and

the processor further for receiving the power sensor signal, and for determining the first location of the mobile asset and the first boundary about the first location when the power sensor signal indicates that external power is removed from the apparatus.