System and method for increasing asset utilization using satellite aided location tracking

• US 8,510,180 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SkyBitz, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: McKethan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Goyea, Olusegun
• Application Number:
  US12/574,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 713, 705/7.26, 705/7.31, 705/400, 705/5, 705/28, 701/213, 701/117, 701/50, 700/33, 700/34, 700/36
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for increasing asset utilization using satellite aided location tracking. Smart sensor technology incorporated into mobile tracking hardware affixed to an asset can be used to support decision processes related to management of multiple assets. Automated decision processes based on customized business rules can operate on asset positions at various defined landmark locations and customized geographical areas.

Claims

1. An asset assignment method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer implemented operations module via a communication network, a request for asset assignment from an asset transporter;

determining, by said operations module for a plurality of customer defined landmark areas, a ranked list of assets in said plurality of customer defined landmark areas based on a customer defined weighting of a plurality of rules, said plurality of rules including landmark specific thresholds that relate to one or more statistics for an individual landmark area, said one or more statistics generated based on a time that a plurality of assets were located in said individual landmark area;

selecting, by said operations module, an asset from said ranked list of assets; and

transmitting, by said operations module via a communication network, an identification of said selected asset to said asset transporter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of rules includes an asset pool assignment target that identifies a target number of assets at said individual landmark area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of rules includes a turn time target that identifies a target length of time between arrival and departure of an asset from a landmark area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of rules includes a rule based on a revenue generated per landmark area for a given time period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of rules includes a rule based on a number of asset idle days at said landmark area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a customer defined landmark area is an area around a common destination for a plurality of assets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a customer defined landmark area is a trailer yard.

8. An asset assignment method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer implemented operations module via a communication network, a request for asset assignment from an asset transporter;

determining, by said operations module for a plurality of landmark areas defined by a customer, a ranked list of assets in said plurality of customer defined landmark areas, wherein a first asset in a first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas is ranked in said list of assets based on an analysis of one or more statistics generated based on a length of time that a first plurality of assets is located in said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas and a second asset in a second of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas is ranked in said list of assets based on an analysis of one or more statistics generated based on a length of time that a second plurality of assets are located in said second of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas;

selecting, by said operations module, an asset from said ranked list of assets; and

transmitting, by said operations module via a communication network, an identification of said selected asset to said asset transporter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said analysis is based on an asset pool assignment target that identifies a target number of assets at said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said analysis is based on a turn time target that identifies a target length of time between an arrival and departure of said first asset from said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said analysis is based on a revenue generated for said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas for a given time period.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said analysis is based on a number of asset idle days at said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a customer defined landmark area is an area around a common destination for a plurality of assets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a customer defined landmark area is a trailer yard.

15. An asset assignment method, comprising:

receiving, by a computer implemented operations module via a communication network, a request for asset assignment from an asset transporter;

determining, by said operations module for a plurality of landmark areas defined by a customer, a ranked list of assets in said plurality of customer defined landmark areas, wherein a first asset in a first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas is ranked in said list of assets based on an analysis of one or more statistics generated based on a length of time that a first plurality of assets is located in said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas;

selecting, by said operations module, an asset from said ranked list of assets; and

transmitting, by said operations module via a communication network, an identification of said selected asset to said asset transporter.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said analysis is based on an asset pool assignment target that identifies a target number of assets at said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said analysis is based on a turn time target that identifies a target length of time between an arrival and departure of said first asset from said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said analysis is based on a revenue generated for said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas for a given time period.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said analysis is based on a number of asset idle days at said first of said plurality of customer defined landmark areas.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a customer defined landmark area is an area around a common destination for a plurality of assets.