Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MOBILE ASSET TRACKING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tracking of mobile assets. The present
invention more
particularly relates to a device that uses GPS to communicate the location of
a mobile asset to a
user using a remote control and web application.
BACKGROUND
Various devices and methods for locating items, assets and animals have
heretofore been devised
and used in the prior art.
For example, US patent number 5,742,233 relates to a personal security and
tracking system.
Moreover, US patent number 2002/0021219 relates to an animal collar including
tracking and
location device. Furthermore, US patent number 6,067,018 relates to a lost pet
notification
system. Moreover, US patent number 6,362,778 relates to a personal location
detection system.
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Furthermore, US patent applications 2004/0014478 relates to a personal
security and tracking
system, while US 20010044321 relates to other tracking devices.
A system and method for surveillance of animals is disclosed in 2004/0061606
while US patent
number 6,693,585 relates to a self-contained selectively activated mobile
object position
reporting device with reduced power consumption and minimized wireless service
fees. Other
arrangements are disclosed in US patent number 5,588,398 that relates to a
remotely controlled
dog muscle while US patent number 6,720,879 relates to an animal collar
including a tracking
and location device.
US 2002/0173344 relates to a personal electronics device.
SUMMARY
In one aspect of the present invention, a device for mobile asset tracking is
described, the device
provided: (a) a housing; (b) a battery; (c) a battery charging circuit; (d) a
positional tracking
circuit; (e) an accelerometer; (f) a means for activating and deactivating the
device; and (g) a
visual indicator for communicating messages to a user of the device.
The device has a particular application for lost pets, tracking people,
assets, warehoused items, or
items being moved by land, air or water.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for mobile asset tracking
is described,
wherein the method provided the steps of: (a) attaching a first device to an
asset, the device
operable to communicate its location to a second device; and (b) a user being
in possession of the
second device, the second device communicating to the user the location of the
first device.
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In yet another aspect of the present invention, a computer program comprising
computer
instructions which when made available to a computer are operable to define in
relation to the
computer a mobile asset tracking utility is provided, the computer program
operable to: (a)
receive location information from a device; (b) display on a map thc location
of the device; (c)
enable a user to enable or disable travel boundaries for the device, wherein
an alert is provided to
the user if the device travels outside the travel boundaries; (d) enable a
user to enable or disable a
timeframe for said travel boundaries to be activated; and (c) enable a user to
configure a radius
and centerpoint for said travel boundaries.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for social networking
is provided, the
method comprising: (a) a plurality of users each obtaining a device and remote
control, the
device including location based tracking means; (b) each user registering the
device with a
central registration application, said registration including providing a
label to the device; (c) the
central registration application communicating the label to the device; (d)
the device
communicating the label to the remote control; (e) the remote control
including a sensing
function wherein it is operable to sense another user's remote control within
a certain physical
range; and (t) the remote controls exchanging a greeting when they are within
the certain
physical range.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of one or more embodiments is provided herein below by
way of example
only and with reference to the following drawings, in which:
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FIG. 1 illustrates a particular embodiment of the device of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a particular embodiment of a remote control for use with
the device previously
illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a particular embodiment of a battery charger for use with
the device previously
illustrated in FIG. 1 and the remote control previously illustrated in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 illustrates a particular example of a user interface provided by a
computer application or
web application for Geofencing.
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates setting a Temperature alert.
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates setting Geofence.
It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only
for the purpose of
illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a
definition of the limits of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention discloses a method, device, and computer program for
mobile asset
tracking. In one embodiment of the device, a pet tracking device is provided.
It should be
apparent to those skilled in the art that this embodiment may be extended to
any other type of
asset, and the methods and computer program claimed herein could likewise be
extended. More
particularly the device can be used for anything that can be tracked for
example, but without
limiting the application, pets, people, children, assets and the like.
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FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the tracking device 2. In the embodiment
shown in Figure
1 the tracking device acts as a pet tracking device comprising a housing 4
attachable to a pet
collar (not shown). This may be provided by tooling four indentations 6 into
the edges of the
housing 4 to accommodate a belt or collar D-rings 8 at either end of the
device and maintain
air/water tight seal.
The device may be permanently sealed by a waterproof shell. The shell may be
made of a
silicone based material or rubber based material, in either of which cases it
would optimally
display impact resistance and comfort to a pet to which it is attached. The
silicone may also
permit the device to be completely sealed and protected from air, water,
scratches, dust, and
other like elements that could otherwise harm the device. One type of material
that can be used
IS sold under the trade-mark GORTEX.
In the embodiment of the device wherein it is a pet tracking device 2 for
attachment to a pet
collar, the device may be shaped such that its back edge 8 is an arc or
concave. This will allow
the device to be more comfortably worn by a pet.
There may also be provided means, such as a button 12, for activating and
deactivating the
device 2. A visual indicator 14, such as an LED, may also be provided for
indicating whether
the device is currently activated or deactivated. The silicone or rubber
casing may be made
translucent over top of the LED to allow a person to see whether the LED is on
or off.
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The device may include a battery. The battery may be charged using a magnetic
induction
battery charging device. No internal components, including the battery, need
to be accessible
where the magnetic induction battery charging device, described below, is
used.
There may also be provided on the device 2 a connection for the magnetic
induction charging
system. The operation of magnetic induction charging systems is known to those
skilled in the
art. A connection area may be provided on the device, such that it may pair or
mate with the
charger. The connection area may be flush with the surface of the device for
aesthetic reasons or
an indentation in the device for ease of mating with the charger. The
connection area may be
provided with the silicone or rubber protective coating, since a magnetic
induction charging
system does not typically require the connection to come into physical contact
with the charger.
The device may include features enabling it to provide positional tracking
capabilities, including
a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver and an accelerometer to sense
positional
acceleration of the device. In the device of the present invention, a two or
three axes
accelerometer may be utilized to sense change in the three dimensional
position of the device.
15SensinL.,t of altitude may be optionally enabled. The position of the device
is used for both the
allowed device travel boundaries and for locating a lost asset.
The accelerometer can be used to indicate if a pet is located out of a
Geofence which can indicate
the pet is lost or stolen. Also the accelerometer can be used for insurance
purposes in the event a
rra2,ile article such as glass is cracked and the accelerometer can determine
where and when the
article was exposed to an impact or acceleration.
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The device may require an antenna wire for use with cellular systems and
satellite systems. In
this case, the antenna may be routed in the device, also sealed by the
protective coating.
FIG. 2 illustrates a remote control 30 that may be provided for controlling
the device 2. The
remote control 30 may have a display screen 32 for communicating messages to a
user operating
the device 2. The display screen 32 may display text and/or graphics including
providing the
device's signal level, battery level, GPS activation status, and whether
allowed device travel
boundaries or Geofence are enabled. The allowed device travel boundaries are
described more
fully below.
The remote control 30 may also be provided with several input means. For
example, the remote
control 30 may have buttons corresponding to features such as activating 34
and deactivating 36
the device 2, querying the current device status 38 (which may result in the
display screen
displaying the status), and activating 40 and deactivating 42 the allowed
device travel
boundaries. A user may desire to deactivate the allowed device travel
boundaries to permit the
device to asset to travel freely. When a user activates the allowed device
travel boundaries using
the remote control 30, the boundaries are set at a predetermined radius around
the current
location of the device. The current location of the device may be determined
using the global
positioning transceiver described below.
A Geofence is a virtual perimeter for a real world geographic area. Geofencing
is a feature in a
software program that uses the global positioning system (GPS) or radio
frequency identification
WI D) to define geographical boundaries. A Geofence is a virtual boundary.
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Geofence programs allow an administrator to set up triggers so when a device
crosses a
Geofence and enters or exits the boundaries defined by the administrator a
small message signal
(S MS) or email alert is sent.
Figure 4 graphically illustrates an embodiment utilizing a Geofence. A
customer can set a
Geofence at their current location by pressing a button 42 on the device 30.
The button press
initiates an immediate GPS location request and calculates the accuracy of
this locate request.
Once the locate and accuracy are calculated, the device establishes a Geofence
around itself.
The size of the Geofence is pre-determined by manufacture settings and
multiplied by the
accuracy variable.
For example: The device 2 is at 123 My Street, My City, USA (longitude: -
111.899046 and
latitude: 33.665489). The accuracy is calculated at 10 meters, so the device
knows within 10
meters where it is located. If the manufacture setting is a 20 meter Geofence
around any device,
we would multiply a 20 meter Geofence by 10 meter accuracy variable and
establish a 200 meter
Geofence around the device. The accuracy variable must be incorporated into
the equation to
prevent false alerts. A false alert would occur if the device was not exactly
where the initial
located calculation was established, and an attempt to Geofence that specific
plot on a map was
requested. Even if the device had not moved, the device would send a false
alert on the next
scheduled locate request, indicating it was outside the original Geofence
area. Having a larger
Geofence area helps reduce the risk of this happening because it encompasses
the surrounding
areas inside an inaccurate locate request when the Geofence is being
established.
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The Geofence can be turned on 34 or off 36 at the device level. Holding button
40 will create a
Geofence and notify the customer with the audio prompt "Geofence On". Holding
button 42 will
end the Geolenee setting, and notify the customer with the audio prompt
"Geofence Off'.
A Geofence is represented in the GUI by a translucent circle 49 or circle
outline overlaid onto a
geographical earth map.
Figure 6 schematically illustrates setting a Geofence, and comprises the
following steps:
SEQUENCE 1 ACTION
RESULT
OF EVENTS
1. Customer presses button 40 on the The device audio prompts "Geofence
On".
remote device 30 for a selected time The device calculates its current
location,
period accuracy of that location request
and
establishes a Geofence around itself.
2. Device sends Geolence settings to Device location is sent from the
hardware,
the GUI over the wireless network to the
GUI,
where it is processed and catalogued.
3. Customer logs into the GUI Customer can see the location of the
device
and Geofence area around the device, and /
or make changes to the Geofence.
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The remote control 30 may include a means to secure itself to a belt clip
holster or collar clip
holster. The remote control may include a battery-, and may also be provided
with a magnetic
induction charging system and operable to mate to the charger that is also
used with the device.
Messaging transceiver systems may be incorporated into both the remote control
and the device
to enable messaging between the two. One of several messaging protocols may be
used, as
known to those skilled in the art. Optimally, a low power messaging system is
used for
preserving battery life.
Several types of messages may be sent from the remote control to the device,
including:
activation and deactivation of the device; activation and deactivation of the
allowed device travel
boundaries. The device may return acknowledgement messages to the remote
control, and the
remote control may resend the requests if a transmission failure is
experienced.
Several types of messages may be sent from the device to the remote control,
including:
confirmation of activation and deactivation of the device; confirmation of
activation and
deactivation of the allowed device travel boundaries; and various alerts such
as low battery, out
1 5 of range detection and inbound call.
Receipt of' messages on the device 2 may be communicated to a user with the
visual indicator 14
(such as LED). For example, when the device 2 is activated or deactivated, or
the allowed
device travel boundaries are activated or deactivated, the visual indicator 14
may provide
feedback using preset series of timed blinked. Furthermore, the visual
indicator 14 may be
configured to blink at set intervals while the device is activated so that the
user may confirm that
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the device has not turned off. The visual indicator 14 may provide a quick
series of blinks, each
series separated at set intervals, to indicate the continued activation of the
allowed device travel
boundaries. The visual indicator 14 may provide yet another type of blinking
activity while the
device is charging.
Optionally, the device and remote control may also include an audio speaker
and a microphone
to enable voice communications between the device and remote control. Methods
of
transmitting voice communications wirelessly arc known to those skilled in the
art. Certain
methods may include the addition of a dial-pad to the remote control, to
initiate communication
to the device.
Alternately, the remote control may be replaced with a personal digital
assistant (PDA) that is
operable to enable the various .functions described above.
Fla 3 illustrates a magnetic induction charging system charger for use with
the device and
remote control. The magnetic induction charging system may be any charger
known to those
skilled in the art. Magnetic induction charging uses magnetic induction to
transfer power
wirelessly from a charging base to a target device, which is typically enabled
by incorporating an
internal module into the device to accommodate magnetic induction charging
system.
Optimally, the cradle portion (35) of the magnetic induction charging system
is sized to
comfortably fit the dimensions of the device and remote control, whichever is
larger. Optimally,
the device and remote control are of the same length and width, and the cradle
(35) is slightly
larger, to comfortably 'accommodate the device and remote control when
charging.
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The ft prevention may be included for the device. EVent notification to the
user may be provided
if the device is removed, or is attempted to be removed, from the asset.
Notification methods
may include email, SMS, voice and/or fax, which may be con-figured using the
user interface
described below. Sensing of the device removal status may be enabled by
several methods,
including:
1) Embedding a magnet into the device and another magnet in the attachment
means to
the asset. When the two are separated, owner notification is initiated.
2) Providing a set of transceivers in the device and attachment means. The
transceivers
regularly communicate. When the transceivers are spatially separated, a
failure to
1 0 communicate is experienced, which is assumed to mean the device has
been removed
from the attachment means.
A user interface (UI) may be provided to the user. The Ul may be provided as a
computer
program or an intemet web application.
The Ul may allow a user to register its communication means. This may include
registration of a
phone number, email address, facsimile number, SMS number, etc. for purposes
of receiving
alerts in connection with the present invention.
One of the features accessible through the UI may be locating the device and
associated asset.
The location may be communicated to the user by viewing a map 47 with an
indication of the
current location of the asset (49). There may bc several types of locate
methods, including: ms-
based, ms-assisted, cost efficient, and control plane. The use of ms-based, ms-
assisted, and
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control plane locate methods are known to those skilled in the art. A cost-
efficient method may
include a first locate attempt using the ms-based method, and upon failure a
ms-assisted second
attempt.
The user interface may also allow for activating, deactivating, and
configuring the allowed
device travel boundaries. The configuration of the device travel boundaries
may allow for
configuring the radius of the boundaries 45, which is described above. This
configuration does
not change the activation status. The central point of the allowed device
travel boundaries may
also be set using a post address 43. Additionally, a user may set a future
timeframe 41 during
which the allowed device travel boundaries will be activated.
Optionally, the UI used in conjunction with the device may provide a social
networking
capability for users. This may allow users of the system that are within close
proximity to meet
each other.
"l'o accomplish the social networking aspect of the present invention: a user
obtains a device and
registers the device with a central registration application, such as a
website (more fully
described below); the central registration application provides a means for
the user to update the
device and remote controller a label, such as a pet name or user name; when
the pet owner comes
within a certain range of another registered remote control, the two remote
controls temporarily
pair with each other to exchange a text message, such as "Hello my name is X",
introducing
them to the other user.
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Registration of the device with the central registration application may be
comprised of several
steps, including:
1) The user enters the label and the identification number of the device (such
as IP
address) into the application. Once these two fields are populated, the
application
generates a message (such as SMS message) to the device with the label.
2) The device receives the message, and populates a pre-defined field within
the device
firmware. Once that field is populated, a message is sent from the device to
the remote
control. Any future changes to the label using the application will also
generate a
message to the device and subsequently the remote control.
3) The remote control receives message, and populates a pre-defined field
within the
remote control. Once that field is populated the display means of the remote
control
displays the label.
4) Upon receipt of the label, the remote control updates its profile to allow
pairing with
other remote controls, which may be disabled by default. This allows the
remote control
to pair with another remote control. When pairing occurs, the label is sent to
the other
remote control and displayed on the display means of the other remote control.
Thus the users are alerted to each other's presence.
The device 2 has an internally mounted Temperature Sensor and related
application firmware.
The physical sensor monitors the temperature of the device. The device can
send its temperature
status information wirelessly over the public network (currently CDMA / Code
Division
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Multiple Access) to a GUI (Graphical User Interface). The device 2 may be
configured from the
manufacture to check its internal temperature at any diagnostic frequency
(example 1 min or 1
hour or I day). It may also be configured by the manufacture to send the
information wirelessly
to the GUI on a predefined communication schedule.
The diagnostic frequency and
communication schedule do not have to be identical.
The device 2 can initiate an alert that is sent directly to the subscriber.
The alert is sent from the
device 2, over the wireless network to the subscriber's pre-defined alert
location. The subscriber
may define and change what the alert methodology is through the GUI, which can
include one or
all of the following 1) an email 2) SMS (Short Message Service) 3) fax. The
subscriber may
also configure the specific address of the alert (examples: SMS =
987.654.3210, email =
subscriber@subscriber.com, fax = 987.654.3210) from the GUI.
De'Thine, the alert methodology and configuring the specific address of the
alerts are facilitated
through a GUI which is an ASP (Application Service Provider).
Temperature tolerances or thresholds may be defined by the subscriber through
the GUI.
Tolerance thresholds include a hot and cold setting. If either the hot or cold
thresholds are
exceeded (too hot or too cold), as they were entered into the GUI by the
subscriber, an alert is
sent to the subscriber the next time the device performs a self diagnostic.
Therefore in one application it is possible to determine if the animal is a
potentially dangerous
environment due to extreme temperature. In another application it is possible
to determine if a
perishable asset or other such as warehoused food is in an environment to be
spoiled.
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Figure 5 schematically illustrates Setting a Temperature alert and comprises
the following steps:
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ACTION RESULT
1. Customer logs into GUI via an Customer can view their mobile
Internet enabled computer with device temperature reading, view
user id and password and modify their device
temperature settings and alert
methodology
2. Customer configures Customer modifies the temperature
temperature tolerances in tolerances in the GUI
settings to
online and saves settings send an alert when the heat
or cold
increase at the device level
Customer configures Customer enters their
information
temperature alert methods into the GUI for alerts and
chooses
their preferred method of
notification in the event an alert
should be sent
3. Device receives temperature Device updates the high and low
tolerance message temperature settings and
begins to
monitor it's status based on the
manufacture defined intervals
(diagnostics)
4. Device exceeds it's hot or cold Device sends a message to the
temperature tolerances customer that there is an
alert
requiring their attention
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