System and method for asset tracking and monitoring
DCFirst Claim
1. An asset monitoring system fixed to an asset, comprisinga first monitoring system portion being operable to communicate directly with a service center via a satellite communication link;
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-mode asset tracking and monitoring system and method is provided that enables comprehensive reporting of asset position, status, and alerts. In one embodiment, the multi-mode system and method is based on the addition of a local network monitoring system to a wide area satellite network monitoring system. In this example, the local network monitoring system would add container presence and status monitoring in crowded environments (e.g., within a port facility, on-board a ship, etc.), while the wide area satellite network monitoring system would provide tracking and monitoring coverage when the container is in dispersed environments. Both the local and wide area monitoring systems work together to provide end-to-end container tracking and monitoring to thereby ensure continuous container tracking and monitoring from container loading to container unloading.
31 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An asset monitoring system fixed to an asset, comprising
a first monitoring system portion being operable to communicate directly with a service center via a satellite communication link; - and
a second monitoring system portion being operable to communicate information to a remote monitoring unit using a local network, wherein said remote monitoring unit forwards information to said service center via a non-satellite communication link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An asset monitoring system fixed to an asset, comprising
a first monitoring system portion being operable to communicate directly with a service center via a satellite communication link when the asset is not in proximity to a local area terminal; - and
a second monitoring system portion being operable to communicate information to said local area terminal when the asset comes into proximity with said local area terminal, wherein said local area terminal forwards information to said service center via an alternative communication link. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An asset monitoring method, comprising
when an asset is outside the range of a local area terminal, transmitting information from a first monitoring system portion fixed to said asset to a service center via a satellite communication link; - and
when said asset is inside the range of a local area terminal, transmitting information from a second monitoring system portion fixed to said asset to said local area terminal, wherein said local area terminal forwards said transmitted information to said service center via an alternative communication link. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A multi-mode monitoring method for an asset traveling along a route from an origin to a destination, comprising:
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transmitting asset information from the asset to a wide area network when the asset is traveling on a first part of the route; and transmitting asset information from the asset to a wide area network when asset is traveling on a second part of the route different from said first part of the route, wherein said second part of the route represents a time when said wide area network is not visible to the asset. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. An asset collection area, comprising:
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a physical space for storage of a plurality of assets; a local area terminal positioned in the asset collection area proximate to said physical space, said local area terminal being operative to communicate with communication terminals affixed to said plurality of assets residing in said physical space to relay asset information to a centralized location on behalf of said communication terminals when said communication terminals cannot transmit information directly to said centralized location. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification