Identifying the location of an asset

• US 7,152,791 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chappidi, Gopinath, Kore, Vinayak Sadashiv
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/708,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/492, 235/493, 235/487, 340/825.49, 340/572.1, 340/10.42, 340/10.3, 340/539.13, 340/539.32, 342/450, 342464- 5, 342387- 86, 370/349
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, an intelligent badge having the ability of collecting the identifiers of each of the badges located within the zone of the intelligent badge may be employed to identify the location of each badge. The central processing system determines the relative location of an asset by processing the sets of identifiers received from multiple intelligent badges. The relative location of an asset is determined by identifying at least one common badge identifier of a badge attached to a corresponding one of assets. The relative location of each asset may be determined with reference to known location of some badges by employing reference badges.

Claims

1. A tracking system to track the location of a plurality of assets of interest, said tracking system comprising:

a set of asset badges, wherein each of said set of asset badges is attached to a corresponding one of a first set of assets and transmits a corresponding badge identifier;

a plurality of intelligent badges, wherein each of said plurality of intelligent badges is attached to a corresponding one of a second set of assets and transmits a corresponding badge identifier, wherein said first set of assets and said second set of assets are comprised in said plurality of assets;

each of said plurality of intelligent badges receiving a corresponding one of a plurality of sets of badge identifiers, each of said plurality of intelligent badges sending said corresponding one of a plurality of sets of badge identifiers associated with a badge identifier of the intelligent badge, wherein the badge identifiers in each set are sent together associated with the badge identifier of the intelligent badge even if the badge identifiers in the set are it received at different time instances;

a processing system receiving and processing said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and corresponding identifiers of said intelligent badges to determine a location of each of said plurality of assets of interest; and

a reader receiving each of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and said associated badge identifier from a corresponding one of said plurality of intelligent badges, said reader sending said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and said associated badge identifiers to said processing system, wherein said reader is associated with a reader zone,

wherein each of said asset badges transmits a corresponding badge identifier using a first type of signals suited for a first distance range, and each of said plurality of intelligent badges sends said corresponding one of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers associated with said badge identifier of the intelligent badge using a second type of signals suited for a second distance range, wherein said second distance range is more than said first distance range,

wherein said reader is located within a distance of said second distance range from each of said plurality of intelligent badges.

2. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein a first set of badge identifiers and a second set of badge identifiers contain at least one common badge identifier, wherein said processing system determines said physical location of a common badge by identifying said at least one common badge identifier, wherein said first set and said second set are received from different intelligent badges and comprised in said plurality of sets of badge identifiers.

3. The tracking system of claim 2, further comprising a reference badge positioned at a known location in an area where said plurality of assets are located, wherein said reference badge also transmits a reference badge identifier, wherein a first intelligent badge contained in said plurality of intelligent badges receives said reference badge identifier and sends said reference badge identifier to said processing system via said reader, wherein said processing system determines the physical location of a first intelligent physical zone of said first intelligent badge, and thus the location of each of said plurality of assets relative to said known location.

4. The tracking system of claim 3, wherein each of said set of asset badges sends the corresponding identifier in both a radio-frequency (RF) signal and an infrared (IR) signal, wherein the identifier encoded in said RF signal is received by said reader and the identifier encoded in said IR signal is received by one or more of said plurality of intelligent badges.

5. The tracking system of claim 2, further comprising:

a set of component badges, wherein said set of component badges are attached to corresponding one of a fourth set of assets; and

a set of active badges, wherein each of said set of active badges is attached to a corresponding one of a third set of assets, wherein said third set of assets and said fourth set of assets are contained in said plurality of assets,

wherein a first active badge receives a set of component badge identifiers from said set of component badges, wherein said set of component badge identifiers and a first active badge identifier is sent by said first active badge to a first intelligent badge contained in said plurality of intelligent badges, wherein said first active badge identifier identifies said first active badge and said first active badge is contained in said set of active badges,

wherein said processing system receives said first active badge identifier associated with said set of component badge identifiers from said first intelligent badge, said processing system determining the location of said first active badge by treating said first active badge identifier similar to each of said badge identifiers of said asset badges, wherein the approximate location of each of said fourth set of assets is same as the location of said first active badge, wherein said processing system determines the location of said set of component badges with reduced computational complexity.

6. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers comprises the identifier of one of said intelligent badge or said plurality of asset badges.

7. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein an intelligent badge is attached to each of said plurality of assets of interest such that said relative location is determined with more precision.

12. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of intelligent badges is associated with a corresponding intelligent physical zone, the set of badge identifiers received by an intelligent badge corresponding to asset badges located in the intelligent physical zone of the intelligent badge, wherein a physical location of each of said set of badges is determined as being in one or more of said intelligent physical zones by said processing of said processing system, said reader zone containing said intelligent physical zones.

8. A method of tracking the location of a plurality of assets of interest, said method comprising:

attaching each of a set of asset badges to a corresponding one of a first set of assets, wherein each of said set of asset badges transmits a corresponding badge identifier;

attaching each of a plurality of intelligent badges to a corresponding one of a second set of assets, wherein each of said plurality of intelligent badges also transmits a corresponding badge identifier, wherein said first set of assets and said second set of assets are comprised in said plurality of assets;

receiving each of a plurality of sets of badge identifiers in a corresponding one of said plurality of intelligent badges;

transmitting from each intelligent badge a corresponding one of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers along with a badge identifier of the intelligent badge, wherein the badge identifiers in each set are sent together associated with the badge identifier of the intelligent badge even if the badge identifiers in the set are received at different time instances, wherein each of said asset badges transmits said corresponding badge identifier using a first type of signals suited for a first distance range, and each of said plurality of intelligent badges sending said corresponding one of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers along with a badge identifier of the intelligent badge using a second type of signals suited for a second distance range, wherein said second distance range is more than said first distance range;

receiving in a reader each of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and said associated badge identifier from a corresponding one of said plurality of intelligent badges, wherein said reader sends said plurality of set of badge identifier to a processing system, wherein said reader is located within a distance of said second distance range from each of said plurality of intelligent badges, wherein said reader is associated with a reader zone; and

processing in said processing system said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and corresponding identifiers of said intelligent badges to determine a location of each of said plurality of assets of interest.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a first set of badge identifiers and a second set of badge identifiers contain at least one common badge identifier, wherein said processing determines said physical location by identifying said at least one common badge identifier, wherein said first set and said second set are received from different intelligent badges and comprised in said plurality of sets of badge identifiers.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising positioning a reference badge at a known location in an area where said plurality of assets are located, wherein said reference badge also transmits a reference badge identifier, wherein a first intelligent badge contained in said plurality of intelligent badges receives said reference badge identifier and sends said reference badge identifier, wherein said processing determines the physical location of each of said plurality of assets relative to said known location.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

attaching each of a set of component badges to a corresponding one of a fourth set of assets; and

a set of active badges, wherein each of said set of active badges is attached to a corresponding one of a third set of assets, wherein said third set of assets and said fourth set of assets are contained in said plurality of assets,

wherein a first active badge receives a set of component badge identifiers from said set of component badges, wherein said set of component badge identifiers and a first active badge identifier is sent by said first active badge to a first intelligent badge contained in said plurality of intelligent badges, wherein said first active badge identifier identifies said first active badge and said first active badge is contained in said set of active badges,

wherein said processing system receives said first active badge identifier associated with said set of component badge identifiers from said first intelligent badge, said processing system determining the location of said first active badge by treating said first active badge identifier similar to each of said badge identifiers of said asset badges, wherein the approximate location of each of said fourth set of assets is same as the location of said first active badge, wherein said processing system determines the location of said set of component badges with reduced computational complexity.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of intelligent badges is associated with a corresponding intelligent physical zone, the set of badge identifiers received by an intelligent badge corresponding to asset badges located in the intelligent physical zone of the intelligent badge, wherein a physical location of each of said set of badges is determined as being in one or more of said intelligent physical zones by said processing of said processing system, said reader zone containing said intelligent physical zones.

14. A method of tracking the location of a plurality of assets of interest, said method comprising:

attaching each of a set of asset badges to a corresponding one of a first set of assets, wherein each of said set of asset badges transmits a corresponding badge identifier;

attaching each of a plurality of intelligent badges to a corresponding one of a second set of assets, wherein each of said plurality of intelligent badges also transmits a corresponding badge identifier, wherein said first set of assets and said second set of assets are comprised in said plurality of assets;

receiving each of a plurality of sets of badge identifiers in a corresponding one of said plurality of intelligent badges;

transmitting from each intelligent badge a corresponding one of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers along with a badge identifier of the intelligent badge, wherein the badge identifiers in each set are sent together associated with the badge identifier of the intelligent badge even if the badge identifiers in the set are received at different time instances;

said transmitting being performed without requiring a request to transmit from any external systems;

wherein a reader receives each of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and associated badge identifier from a corresponding one of said plurality of intelligent badges, said reader sending said plurality of set of badge identifiers and associated badge identifier to said processing system, wherein each of said asset badges transmits corresponding badge identifier using a first type of signals suited for a distance range, and each of said plurality of intelligent badges sending said corresponding one of said plurality of sets of badge identifiers associated with said badge identifier of the intelligent badge using a second type of signals suited for a second distance range, wherein said second distance range is more than said first distance range, and wherein said reader is located within a distance of said second distance range from each of said plurality of intelligent badges; and

processing in a processing system said plurality of sets of badge identifiers and corresponding identifiers of said intelligent badges to determine a location of each of said plurality of assets of interest.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of said asset badges also transmits without requiring a request to transmit from any external systems.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said external systems contain said reader.