Asset monitoring and tracking system

• US 7,319,412 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• 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:
  US11/208,870
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/995.1, 340/992, 340/993, 701/207, 701/208, 701/300, 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 a first location to a second location, the apparatus comprising:

an asset owner computer system comprising;

one or more asset owner computers for executing asset management software to process mobile asset information related to the mobile asset, the mobile asset information comprising one or more of shipping status of the mobile asset, next scheduled stop of the mobile asset and destination of the mobile asset; and

one or more storage devices for storing and accessing the mobile asset information related the mobile asset based on execution of the asset management software;

an asset tracking device attached to the mobile asset for sensing the location of the mobile asset and for transmitting status messages via a wireless communication system, where the status messages report events associated with the mobile asset, and the events reported are determined based on an event communication profile; and

an asset tracking provider computer system comprising one or more asset tracking provider computers for facilitating communication of the messages regarding the mobile asset from the asset tracking device to the asset owner computer system, the asset tracking provider computer system further comprising;

an asset management server module executed on the one or more asset tracking provider computers, the asset management server module for receiving the messages regarding the mobile asset from the wireless communication system and providing the messages regarding the mobile asset to the asset owner computer system via a communication network; and

an asset management client module integrated with the asset management software on the asset owner computer system and executed on the one or more asset owner computers, the asset management client module for accessing the mobile asset information from the one or more storage devices of the asset owner computer system, for generating command messages based on the mobile asset information, for communicating the command messages from the asset owner computer system to the asset tracking provider computer system, for receiving the messages regarding the mobile asset from the one or more asset tracking provider computers via the communication network, for defining the event communication profile for the mobile asset based on one or more event parameters maintained in the asset owner computer system, for monitoring the status of the one or more event parameters in the asset owner computer system, for determining whether at least one of the event parameters changes, for automatically generating a profile command message to change the event communication profile stored in the asset tracking device based on a change in the one or more event parameters, and for automatically communicating the profile command message to the asset tracking provider computer system according to a second communication protocol via the communication network;

the asset management server module for receiving the profile command message from the asset owner computer system via the communication network according to the second communication protocol and for communicating the profile command message to the asset tracking device according to a first communication protocol via the wireless communication system; and

the asset tracking device for receiving the profile command message and for changing the event communication profile stored in the asset tracking device based on the profile command message.

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

an asset owner computer system comprising;

one or more asset owner computers for executing asset management software to process mobile asset information related to the mobile asset, the mobile asset information comprising one or more of shipping status of the mobile asset, next scheduled stop of the mobile asset and destination of the mobile asset; and

one or more storage devices for storing and accessing the mobile asset information related the mobile asset based on execution of the asset management software;

an asset tracking device attached to the mobile asset for sensing the location of the mobile asset and for transmitting status messages via a wireless communication system, where the status messages report events associated with the mobile asset, and the events reported are determined based on an event communication profile; and

an asset tracking provider computer system comprising one or more asset tracking provider computers for facilitating communication of the messages regarding the mobile asset from the asset tracking device to the asset owner computer system, the asset tracking provider computer system further comprising;

an asset management server module executed on the one or more asset tracking provider computers, the asset management server module for receiving the messages regarding the mobile asset from the wireless communication system and providing the messages regarding the mobile asset to the asset owner computer system via a communication network; and

an asset management client module integrated with the asset management software on the asset owner computer system and executed on the one or more asset owner computers, the asset management client module for accessing the mobile asset information from the one or more storage devices of the asset owner computer system, for generating command messages based on the mobile asset information, for communicating the command messages from the asset owner computer system to the asset tracking provider computer system, for receiving the messages regarding the mobile asset from the one or more asset tracking provider computers via the communication network, for defining the event communication profile for the mobile asset based on one or more event parameters maintained in the asset owner computer system, for generating a profile command message to change the event communication profile stored in the asset tracking device based on manual input from an operator, and for communicating the profile command message to the asset tracking provider computer system according to a second communication protocol;

the asset management server module for receiving the profile command message from the asset owner computer system via the communication network and for communicating the profile command message to the asset tracking device via the wireless communication system according to a first communication protocol; and

the asset tracking device for receiving the profile command message and for changing the event communication profile stored in the asset tracking device based on the profile command message.

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

an asset owner computer system comprising;

one or more asset owner computers for executing asset management software to process mobile asset information related to the mobile asset, the mobile asset information comprising one or more of shipping status of the mobile asset, next scheduled stop of the mobile asset and destination of the mobile asset; and

one or more storage devices for storing and accessing the mobile asset information related the mobile asset based on execution of the asset management software;

an asset tracking device attached to the mobile asset for sensing the location of the mobile asset and for transmitting messages regarding the mobile asset via a wireless communication system; and

an asset tracking provider computer system comprising one or more asset tracking provider computers for facilitating communication of the messages regarding the mobile asset from the asset tracking device to the asset owner computer system, the asset tracking provider computer system further comprising;

an asset management server module executed on the one or more asset tracking provider computers, the asset management server module for receiving the messages regarding the mobile asset from the wireless communication system and providing the messages regarding the mobile asset to the asset owner computer system via a communication network; and

an asset management client module integrated with the asset management software on the asset owner computer system and executed on the one or more asset owner computers, the asset management client module for accessing the mobile asset information from the one or more storage devices of the asset owner computer system, for generating command messages based on the mobile asset information, for communicating the command messages from the asset owner computer system to the asset tracking provider computer system, for receiving the messages regarding the mobile asset from the one or more asset tracking provider computers via the communication network, for retrieving from the asset owner computer system a next destination of the mobile asset, and for communicating the next destination to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network according to a second communication protocol;

the asset management server module for receiving the next destination from the asset owner computer system, and for communicating the next destination and a boundary value to the asset tracking device via the wireless communication system according to a first communication protocol, where the boundary value defines a boundary about the next destination; and

the asset tracking device for initiating a tracking mode based on receiving the next destination and the boundary value.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

the asset tracking device for transmitting a departure notification to the asset tracking provider computer system via the wireless communication system according to the first communication protocol, where the departure notification indicates the mobile asset has departed from a current location;

the asset management server module for receiving the departure notification and for communicating the departure notification to the asset owner computer system via the communication network according to the second communication protocol;

the asset management client module for automatically retrieving the next destination of the mobile asset upon receipt of the departure notification, for determining position coordinates of the next destination, for determining the boundary value based on the mobile asset information stored in the asset owner computer system and for communicating the position coordinates and the boundary value to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network according to the second communication protocol; and

the asset tracking device for initiating the tracking mode based on receiving the position coordinates and the boundary value.

5. A method for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset that is movable by a transport vehicle from a first location to a second location, the method implemented using an asset tracking device attached to the mobile asset, a wireless communication system, an asset tracking provider computer system, a communication network, an asset owner computer system and asset management software, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting from the asset tracking device a status message that contains information regarding the status of the mobile asset;

(b) transferring the status message from the asset tracking device to the asset tracking provider computer system via the wireless communication system according to a first communication protocol;

(c) executing an asset management server module on the asset tracking provider computer system to receive the status message transmitted from the asset tracking device, where the asset management server module is a first component of the asset management software;

(d) transferring the status message from the asset tracking provider computer system to the asset owner computer system via the communication network;

(e) executing an asset management client module on the asset owner computer system to receive the status message from the communication network, where the asset management client module is a second component of the asset management software;

(f) monitoring the status of one or more event parameters in the asset owner computer system and determining whether at least one of the one or more event parameters has changed;

(g) automatically generating a profile command message to change an event communication profile stored in the asset tracking device based on a change in the one or more event parameters;

(h) transferring the profile command message to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network;

(i) receiving the profile command message transferred from the asset owner computer system via the communication network;

(j) communicating the profile command message to the asset tracking device via the wireless communication system; and

(k) receiving the profile command message at the asset tracking device and changing the event communication profile in the asset tracking device based on the profile command message.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

(l) transmitting a command message from the asset owner computer system to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network, where the command message provides information regarding the operation of the asset tracking device;

(m) transferring the command message from the asset owner computer system to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network;

(n) receiving the command message transferred from the asset owner computer system;

(o) transferring the command message from the asset tracking provider computer system to the asset tracking device via the wireless communication system; and

(p) receiving the command message at the asset tracking device.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

step (a) further comprising transmitting the status message from the asset tracking device to report one or more events associated with the mobile asset, where the events reported are determined based on the event communication profile; and

(l) defining the event communication profile for the mobile asset based on one or more event parameters maintained in the asset owner computer system.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein steps (f), (g) and (h) are performed by execution of the asset management client module on the asset owner computer system, and steps (i) and (j) are performed by execution of the asset management server module on the asset tracking provider computer system.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising

(l) translating the status message from a first communication protocol to a second communication protocol;

(m) transferring the status message from the asset tracking provider computer system in the second communication protocol via the communication network to the asset owner computer system; and

(n) receiving the status message in the second communication protocol from the communication network.

9. A method for monitoring and reporting the status of a mobile asset that is movable by a transport vehicle from a first location to a second location, the method implemented using an asset tracking device attached to the mobile asset, a wireless communication system, an asset tracking provider computer system, a communication network, an asset owner computer system and asset management software, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting from the asset tracking device a status message that contains information regarding the status of the mobile asset;

(b) transferring the status message from the asset tracking device to the asset tracking provider computer system via the wireless communication system according to a first communication protocol;

(c) executing an asset management server module on the asset tracking provider computer system to receive the status message transmitted from the asset tracking device, where the asset management server module is a first component of the asset management software;

(d) transferring the status message from the asset tracking provider computer system to the asset owner computer system via the communication network;

(e) executing an asset management client module on the asset owner computer system to receive the status message from the communication network, where the asset management client module is a second component of the asset management software;

(f) retrieving from the asset owner computer system a next destination of the mobile asset;

(g) communicating the next destination to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network;

(h) communicating the next destination and a boundary value from the asset tracking provider computer system to the asset tracking device via the wireless communication system, where the boundary value defines a boundary about the next destination; and

(i) initiating in the asset tracking device a tracking mode based on receiving the next destination and the boundary value.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein steps (f) and (g) are performed by execution of the asset management client module on the asset owner computer system, and step (h) is performed by execution of the asset management server module on the asset tracking provider computer system.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

(j) transmitting a departure notification from the asset tracking device to the asset tracking provider computer system via the wireless communication system, where the departure notification indicates the mobile asset has departed from a current location;

(k) transferring the departure notification to the asset owner computer system via the communication network;

(l) automatically retrieving the next destination of the mobile asset upon receipt of the departure notification;

(m) determining position coordinates of the next destination;

(n) determining the boundary value based on parameters stored in the asset owner computer system;

(o) communicating the position coordinates and the boundary value to the asset tracking provider computer system via the communication network;

(p) transferring the position coordinates and the boundary value to the asset tracking device via the wireless communication system; and

(q) initiating the tracking mode in the asset tracking device upon receipt of the position coordinates and the boundary value.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein steps (k) and (p) are performed by execution of the asset management server module on the asset tracking provider computer system, and steps (l), (m), (n) and (o) are performed by execution of the asset management client module on the asset owner computer system.