Robust wireless communications system architecture and asset management applications performed thereon

• US 7,356,494 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hecker, Yaron, Ehrman, Michael L., Jagid, Jeffrey M., Pimentel, Leonard, Ehrman, Kenneth S., Pinzon, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US10/043,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,281 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 705/26, 705/27, 705/11, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/76 Group identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 : from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A robust wireless communications system operable to provide communications for mobile wireless devices. The wireless communications system generally includes a management computing system, wireless infrastructure, and mobile wireless devices. The wireless infrastructure includes wireless infrastructure devices having processing and storage capability. Similarly, the mobile wireless devices include processing and storage capability. Communication links between the management computing system and wireless infrastructure, and wireless infrastructure and mobile wireless devices are utilized to downlink and uplink data. In operation, data generated at the management computing system may be downloaded to the wireless infrastructure and mobile wireless devices sequentially without active simultaneous communication links. Similarly, data generated at the mobile wireless devices may be uploaded to the wireless infrastructure and management computing system without active simultaneous communication links. Because the wireless infrastructure and mobile wireless devices are intelligent, decisions may be made independent of a communication link existing with the management computing system.

Claims

1. A system for managing data associated with mobile assets, comprising:

a management computer for storing asset control data for a plurality of mobile assets in a relational database format;

an asset monitor, for each of a plurality of mobile assets, for monitoring a respective mobile asset to collect asset monitored data, for wirelessly receiving asset control data originated at the management computer, and for controlling operation of the mobile asset in view of the asset monitored data and the received asset control data;

a wireless communications infrastructure interconnecting the management computer to each of the mobile assets, the infrastructure including a plurality of local monitor nodes each storing asset control data in a relational database format for at least a portion of the plurality of mobile assets that is at least a partial replica of the asset control data stored by the management computer;

wherein each of the local monitor nodes includes a processor operable to be responsive to received asset control data originated at the management computer, to make decisions concerning operation of the mobile asset in view of the received asset control data and wirelessly communicate instructions for mobile asset operation to the mobile asset; and

wherein the management computer operates to determine to which ones of the plurality of local monitor nodes does the asset control data for a certain one of the plurality of mobile assets need to be communicated.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the asset monitor is further operable to parse a wirelessly received communication of asset control data to identify and store only that asset control data which is pertinent to the mobile asset.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the asset data stored by the management computer in a relational database format comprises data relating to controlling access to the mobile assets and authorization for operators to utilize each of the plurality of mobile assets.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of local monitor nodes each store at least a portion of the access control data and wirelessly communicate that asset control data to asset monitors.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the asset monitor is further operable to parse a wirelessly received communication of access control data to identify and store only that access control data which is pertinent to the mobile asset.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the asset monitor prevents access to the mobile asset when access control data does not correlate to asset monitored data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the access control data identifies operators approved to access the mobile asset.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the access control data identifies one or more locations at which the mobile asset is permitted to operate.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the access control data identifies at date by which maintenance must be performed on the mobile asset.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein access control data is deleted when a predetermined date is reached.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the access control data includes a schedule of dates and times during which a first user may operate the mobile asset.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset by placing the mobile asset in creeper mode.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset by turning on a signal light.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset by turning on a siren.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset by deactivating one or more features of the mobile asset.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset by disabling a lift associated with the mobile asset.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the mobile asset monitor controls non-immobilized operation of the mobile asset by limiting access to a subset of users approved to operate the mobile asset.