Externally augmented asset management

• US 9,773,222 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Wallace, Daniel John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amsdell, Dana
• Application Number:
  US11/801,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,795 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

A system and method for externally augmented asset management is disclosed. According to one embodiment, information from a first reporting source about an asset is received. In addition, information from a second reporting source about the asset is also received. Information from a third reporting source about at least one environmental condition is also received. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source and the third reporting source such that information from the first reporting source, the information from the second reporting source and the third reporting source can be collected or accessed from the database.

Claims

1. A method for providing externally augmented management of a vehicle, said method comprising:

determining, using a mountable reporting source coupled to the vehicle, real-time location information about the vehicle, wherein the mountable reporting source comprises;

a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver coupled with the vehicle for determining the location information about the vehicle;

a communication component configured to communicate the location information about the vehicle to a transceiver of an asset management system;

a motion detector for detecting motion of the vehicle; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the GNSS receiver, the communication component, and the motion detector, wherein the controller controls receiving and executing commands for determining a location of the vehicle, and controls communicating the location of the vehicle to the transceiver;

wherein the mountable reporting source is configured to be in an idle mode when the vehicle is stationary and in an operating mode when the vehicle is in motion as determined by the motion detector;

determining, using an electronic sensor coupled to the vehicle, real-time operation information about the vehicle;

receiving, at the transceiver, the location information about the vehicle from the mountable reporting source;

receiving, at the transceiver, the operation information about the vehicle from the electronic sensor, wherein the operation information indicates whether the vehicle has its engine running, is moving, or is stationary;

receiving, at the transceiver, environmental information from an environmental reporting source in real time, wherein the environmental information includes at least one environmental condition pertaining to the location information of the vehicle determined by the mountable reporting source; and

populating a database with the location information about the vehicle received from the mountable reporting source, the operation information about the vehicle received from the electronic sensor, and the environmental information received from the environmental reporting source, and attaching a time stamp for each of the location information, the operation information, and the environmental information, wherein the database is updated with the environmental information from the environmental reporting source constantly or on a scheduled update period depending on whether the vehicle has its engine running, is moving, or is stationary as indicated by the operation information, such that the location information received from the mountable reporting source, the operation information received from the electronic sensor, and the environmental information received from the environmental reporting source can be collected from said database.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

storing the location information received from the mountable reporting source, the operation information received from the electronic sensor, and the environmental information received from the environmental reporting source in such a manner that an asset information report regarding the vehicle can be generated.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

generating the asset information report comprising at least a portion of the location information received from the mountable reporting source, at least a portion of the operation information received from the electronic sensor, and at least a portion of the environmental information received from the environmental reporting source.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the storing the location information received from the mountable reporting source, the operation information received from the electronic sensor, and the environmental information received from the environmental reporting source in such a manner that an asset information report regarding the vehicle can be generated comprises:

selectively parsing the location information received from the mountable reporting source, the operation information received from the electronic sensor, and the environmental information received from the environmental reporting source into said asset information report.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from n reporting sources about the vehicle, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to three.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic sensor is selected from one of the group of operation information sources consisting of:

J-bus, asset processor, diagnostic evaluator, engine microprocessor, mileage indicator, speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure indicator, wheel pressure indicator, hydraulic indicator, engine time, and ignition switched power source.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information from n reporting sources about environmental conditions, wherein said n is an integer number greater than or equal to three.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving the environmental information from the environmental reporting source further comprises:

receiving weather information.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving the environmental information from the environmental reporting source further comprises:

receiving traffic information.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiving the environmental information from the environmental reporting source further comprises:

receiving imagery information.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environmental reporting source is selected from one of the group of environmental information sources consisting of:

a weather reporting station, a traffic reporting station, and an imagery provider.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving environmental information for a plurality of locations.