Mobile asset tracking system and method

• US 8,223,009 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Track America, LLC
• Original Assignee: Track America
• Inventors: Anderson, Tommie K., Schwartz, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US11/803,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20070262861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A mobile asset tracking system receives telemetry information from any number of mobile assets (e.g., railcars, truck trailers, intermodal cargo containers, etc.) transporting hazardous or non-hazardous materials. Location data is obtained through GPS satellite locks and is transmitted via a cellular module to a central database for processing. Business rules in the software of the system trigger proactive alert communications to subscribers through common communication protocols such as email, SMS text, and pagers. Personal Computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA'"'"'s), cell phones or other common communication devices widely available to consumers may be utilized for receipt of alerts. Subscribers may be defined as manufacturers of materials, consignees who receive materials, transporters of materials (e.g. railroads, trucking companies, etc.) and communities such as county, state and/or federal emergency management personnel. GIS mapping software is utilized for geographical display of assets to authorized subscribers.

Claims

1. A mobile asset tracking system comprising:

a plurality of tracking units, each tracking unit being adapted for mounting to a mobile asset of a system subscriber and comprising a position location device, at least one communication device for telemetry data transmission, a battery, a processor and a firmware program for enabling communication between the position location device and the communication device and for controlling a communication interval of the communication device and a position lock interval of the position location device; and

a monitoring system comprising;

a port listener for receiving telemetry data from the tracking units, the telemetry data including the position of the mobile asset as determined by the position location device;

a database for receiving and storing telemetry data from the port listener;

a database rules engine for deriving asset and shipment cargo information from the telemetry data in the database and generating alerts based on the asset information and defined rules;

an interface program for interacting with the database rules engine and sending alerts to the system subscriber; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) which may be accessed by the system subscriber via a secure internet connection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the firmware comprises an interface program for changing the communication interval and position lock interval, the firmware being remotely programmable to change said intervals.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the GUI comprises interactive software which allows a subscriber to view the real time position locations of the mobile assets.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the GUI comprises interactive software which allows a subscriber to configure subscriber master data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking unit comprises at least one sensor for detecting at least one mobile asset parameter.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor and the parameter is a temperature.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the sensor is a voltage sensor and the parameter is the voltage of a battery.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the firmware includes a power management component for monitoring a battery voltage sensed by the voltage sensor and inhibiting battery discharge by overriding the communication interval to a longer communication interval should the battery voltage drop below a threshold level.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the position location device is a GPS positioning module with an antenna.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking unit further comprises an outer protective case having a solar panel mounted thereon and electrically connected to the battery for continuous charging of the battery.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the tracking unit further comprises a float charger to prevent overcharging of the battery by the solar panel.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the firmware includes a power management component for disabling operation of the communication device while maintaining power to the position location device for obtaining position locks, until the solar panel has recharged the battery to a nominal power threshold.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein, once the solar panel has recharged the battery to an acceptable voltage level, the original communication interval is restored.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication device is a cellular communication module with an antenna.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the tracking unit further comprises internal flash memory for storing extended position location data from the position location device in the event a communication connection cannot be established between the communication device and the monitoring system.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of configuration screens for tracking unit management, association of a tracking unit with the subscriber, setting and viewing alert configurations, entering and viewing shipment data for a mobile asset, and maintenance of subscriber master data.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the monitoring system has a system architecture comprising at least one central server for storing application programs, subscriber master data and configurations for the subscriber;

a database management system (DBMS) utilizing a relational database;

IIS services for allowing the subscriber to access the system through Web enabled applications, and Graphical Information System (GIS) mapping software for graphical display of the subscriber'"'"'s mobile asset being tracked.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the alert table configuration screen permits the subscriber to configure one or more proactive alerts from the tracking unit associated with the mobile asset.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a configuration screen allowing entry of multiple users to receive alerts.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising a configuration screen having a pick list of alerts each user will receive.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising a configuration screen having a pick list of alert frequency parameters for each chosen alert.

22. The system of claim 18 further comprising a back end functionality component for automatically resetting alert frequency parameters and the communication interval to the appropriate setting based on an identification of a shipment cargo in the mobile asset.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the shipment cargo is a chemical and the identification is the cargo'"'"'s UNID or CAS number.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the shipment cargo is a chemical and the identification is the cargo'"'"'s hazardous material classification.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein the configurable alerts are selected from the group consisting of:

a mobile asset that has not moved for a pre-configured amount of time;

an inhibitor preventing premature chemical polymerization approaching its expiration;

a mobile asset has broken a defined application geo-fence;

a mobile asset is projected to arrive late at its consignee'"'"'s destination address;

a mobile asset with a hazardous cargo has entered or is approaching a geographic area with a population density above a predefined threshold;

a mobile asset with a hazardous cargo is within a specific distance from a predefined facility of interest;

a special alert status and business rules for shipments carrying extremely hazardous substances;

a special alert status and business rules for shipments for an asset carrying a Toxic Inhalation Hazard/Poisonous Inhalation Hazard (TIH/PIH);

a tracking unit associated with a mobile asset has not successfully communicated with the monitoring system for a pre-configured amount of time; and

a tracking unit'"'"'s battery level is approaching a first threshold of power management intervention.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein a subscriber can suppress alerts by transmitting from a computer, personal digital assistant (PDA) or other communication device a command to suppress alerts from a specific tracking unit.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein when a new shipment is entered by the subscriber for a tracking unit whose previous alerts were suppressed, the system will reset the subscriber'"'"'s originally configured alert requests to the original settings set by the subscriber.

28. The system of claim 16 wherein as the database rules engine processes data received from the tracking units via the port listener, the database rules engine examines incoming data for subscriber alert conditions by accessing an alert table defined by the subscriber, and when an alert is detected, the interface program generates and sends the alert to the subscriber via a communication protocol.

29. The system of claim 16 wherein the shipment data comprises one or more types of information selected from the group consisting of load type, UNID number, CAS number, cargo expiration date, weight of load, customer shipment delivered to, shipment destination, shipment estimated arrival date, asset type, chemical inhibitor expiration date, and bill of lading.

30. The system of claim 16 wherein the shipment data can be edited allowing for mobile asset diversion to a different consignee should the subscriber decide product diversion is required.

31. The system of claim 16 further comprising

a product code table unique to each subscriber;

a universal carrier table;

a UNID number and CAS number table containing hazardous materials including TIH/PIH along with the material'"'"'s associated hazard class/division; and

at least one screen for management of subscriber devices and association and disassociation of a tracking unit to the subscriber'"'"'s mobile asset.

32. The system of claim 17 wherein the GIS mapping software provides:

a map rendering of key geographical data;

an historical route rendering for the mobile asset;

a mobile asset icon showing the location of the mobile asset on the map rendering;

a visual color change of the mobile asset icon denoting the status of the mobile asset as either on its delivery trip to deliver cargo or on its return trip after having delivered its cargo;

a hover capability over the mobile asset icon for displaying a pop-up window with unique information about the mobile asset; and

geofence configurations set by the subscriber.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the pop-up window displays information about the asset selected from the group consisting of asset type, asset identification number, shipper'"'"'s name, shipper'"'"'s address, load information, hazard class, loaded weight, expiration date, asset longitude/latitude with date and time stamp, closest street intersection, asset heading, asset speed, track owner, milepost number, and identification of party with physical custody and control of asset.

34. The system of claim 17 further comprising auto-retirement for a shipment once the mobile asset approaches the shipment destination, wherein determination of shipment delivery to the destination is accomplished through the GIS software by:

determining the latitude/longitude of the destination;

taking the current latitude/longitude of the mobile asset;

comparing the two latitude/longitude readings and applying by the processor a mathematical formula to determine the distance the mobile asset is from the destination, and, if the distance is within a pre-defined threshold, automatically retiring the asset from the tracking system.

35. The system of claim 1 wherein the database comprises multiple subscriber databases in a parent-child relationship, keeping each subscriber'"'"'s information unique and separate through application security.

36. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile asset is a rail car.

37. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile asset is an intermodal cargo container.

38. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile asset is a truck trailer.

39. The system of claim 1 wherein the subscriber is a party selected from the group consisting of a manufacturer of hazardous chemicals or other material, a consignee who receives hazardous chemicals or other material, a railroad carrier, a trucking company, and a community.

40. The system of claim 1 wherein the alerts are sent via email or SMS text to a subscriber'"'"'s computer.

41. A method for tracking mobile assets containing hazardous chemical cargo comprising:

providing a series of software business rules for monitoring the characteristics of the hazardous chemical cargo;

providing a graphical user interface having a series of screens for entry of hazardous chemical cargo data;

providing at least one alert triggered by application of the business rules against the hazardous chemical cargo data;

defining a business rule for monitoring the hazardous chemical'"'"'s inhibitor expiration;

defining a business rule for monitoring whether the hazardous chemical is sitting idle near a prescribed population density, school, or other High Threat Urban Area (HTUA); and

providing mobile tracking devices which transmit data for the mobile assets and defining a business rule that will automatically change device transmission times for a mobile tracking unit to the shortest transmit when a unit that was previously affixed to a mobile asset carrying non-hazardous cargo is moved to a mobile asset containing hazardous chemical cargo.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising entering via the data entry screens a hazardous chemical'"'"'s characteristics via a standard UNID/CAS number identifying the cargo'"'"'s Toxic Inhalation/Poisonous Inhalation Hazard (TIN/PIN).

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising automatically updating the hazardous chemical cargo data with the party which currently has physical custody and control of the mobile asset.

44. The method of claim 42 further comprising entering via the data entry screens an expiration date for the hazardous chemical'"'"'s inhibitor.

45. The method of claim 42 further comprising providing a database which contains UNID/CAS numbers for user association, via the graphical user interface, to the hazardous chemical cargo.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein unique, configurable alerts are chosen by the subscriber and sent to the subscriber'"'"'s email address or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), the alerts providing at least one alert selected from the group consisting of:

an alert that the hazardous cargo being tracked has entered an HTUA;

an alert that the hazardous cargo is located in a population density threshold and has not moved for a pre-determined amount of time;

a series of progressive alerts that the hazardous cargo'"'"'s chemical inhibitor is approaching expiration;

a special alert for hazardous cargo classified as TIH/PIH; and

a special alert for hazardous cargo classified as an Extremely Hazardous Substance.

47. A method for tracking mobile assets comprising:

providing a plurality of tracking units, each tracking unit being adapted for mounting to a mobile asset of a system subscriber and comprising a position location device, at least one communication device for telemetry data transmission, a battery, a processor and a firmware program for enabling communication between the position location device and the communication device and for controlling a communication interval of the communication device and a position lock interval of the position location device;

providing a monitoring system comprising;

a port listener for receiving telemetry data from the tracking units, the telemetry data including the position of the mobile asset as determined by the position location device;

a database for receiving and storing telemetry data from the port listener;

a database rules engine for deriving asset and shipment cargo information from the telemetry data in the database and generating alerts based on the asset information and defined rules;

an interface program for interacting with the database rules engine and sending alerts to the system subscriber; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) which may be accessed by the system subscriber via a secure internet connection, the GUI having a series of data entry screens for user entry of logistics data;

providing a series of software business rules executable by the database rules engine for monitoring logistics data; and

providing at least one alert triggered by application of the business rules against the logistics data.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising entering via the data entry screens a shipment'"'"'s expected time of delivery.

49. The method of claim 47 further comprising automatically updating the expected time of delivery based on the asset'"'"'s average rate of speed and the remaining distance to travel.

50. The method of claim 47 further comprising automatically updating the asset'"'"'s utilization and reporting overall fleet utilization to the subscriber.

51. The method of claim 47 wherein unique, configurable alerts are chosen by the subscriber and sent to the subscriber'"'"'s email address or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), the alerts providing at least one alert selected from the group consisting of:

a mobile asset is projected to arrive late at its consignee'"'"'s destination address;

an alert that the asset has arrived at its consignee'"'"'s destination address;

an alert that the asset has not moved for a pre-determined amount of time after it has arrived at its consignee'"'"'s destination address and may be subject to demurrage fees and;

an alert that the asset has arrived on the return trip at its point of origin destination address.