High resolution tracking of mobile assets

• US 7,246,008 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asset Intelligence LLC (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Doyle, Thomas F., Daubert, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude; Gertrude A.
• Application Number:
  US11/180,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20060080035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701211-212, 701/213, 701/300, 340/988, 340/995.19, 340/995.27, 340/990
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

A system and method for describing local area geo-reference features and landmarks in providing high resolution asset location information. Geo-image data is integrated to a mapping application and geo-reference data to add more detailed scale levels to the map. The geo-image data includes geo-images and its features to provide more detailed references to the asset and support the larger references of the geo-reference data. To describe a geo-reference landmark, an original landmark representation is selected with a center point and a radius. The asset location points located at the original landmark representation are compiled along with the asset location points generated by events occurring at the landmark to create a point set. The point set replaces the original landmark representation when a prescribed number of points is reached. The asset location points that are within a specified distance from any of the points in the point set are added to the point set to complete the landmark representation. The geo-image data and landmark representation data are combined to provide high resolution asset location information.

Claims

1. A method for describing the location of a mobile asset comprising:

(a) providing geo-image data to a mapping application to present at least one geo-image reference in a map of the mapping application;

(b) matching mobile asset location data to coordinates of the geo-image data to present the mobile asset in the map of the mapping data; and

(c) providing a location of the mobile asset in reference to the at least one geo-image reference in the map by providing a distance from the at least one geo-image reference to the mobile asset location.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the method further comprising the step of detecting features in a geo-image to provide the at least one geo-image reference.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the method further comprising the step of labeling one or more detected features of the at least one geo-image reference.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the at least one geo-image reference is a building, a parking lot, a garage or a road.

5. A method as in claim 2 further comprising the step of integrating geo-reference data to the mapping application to present at least one geo-reference in the map.

6. A method as in claim 5 further comprising the step of providing the location of the mobile asset in reference to the at least one geo-reference reference.

7. A method as in claim 5 wherein the at least one geo-reference reference is a city, a town or a landmark.

8. A method as in claim 5 further comprising the step of providing the map at a plurality of zoom levels.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the plurality of zoom levels includes geo-reference zoom levels and geo-image zoom levels.

10. A method for describing the location of a mobile asset comprising:

(a) providing geo-image data to a mapping application to present at least one geo-image reference in a map of the mapping application, the geo-image reference being a readily recognizable location, the readily recognizable location being selected from the group consisting of a building, a parking lot, a garage, a road, a city, a town or a landmark;

(b) matching mobile asset location data to coordinates of the geo-image data, the matching presenting the mobile asset in the map of the mapping data;

(c) providing a location of the mobile asset in reference to the at least one readily recognizable geo-image reference in the map;

(d) dynamically providing a mobile asset distance to the at least one geo-image reference to manage the mobile asset and to identify the mobile asset in location and identify the mobile asset in distance relative to the readily recognizable location as the mobile asset moves in position.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the distance is accurate within about ten meters.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the mobile asset is a transportation device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the mobile asset is a trailer.